Sad Fate of Ancient Fire Temple at Qom

Qom’s Parthian fire temple left at her own devices to be destroyed

February 8, 2013 (From Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies)

LONDON, (CAIS) -- A recent report from Qom, indicates Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicraft and Tourism Organisation (ICHHTO) has purposely left a 2,000-year-old Kermejgān (recently Karamjegān) fire temple at her own devices at the mercy of zealous religious leaders and harsh weather, to be destroyed.

Kermejgān fire temple, which in fact is a chār tāqi (small fire-temple with astrological and calendrical functionalities) is located in the northwest of a village of the same name, in the Kahak District of the central Iranian province of Qom. The chār tāqi is 7.10 x7.10 meters, and there is a 3.5-meter gap between each 1.8 x 1.8 meters tick pillars. Although smaller, the similarity between Kermejgān and Niāsar chār tāqi in Kashn, led to believe Kermejgān is a Parthian dynastic (248 BCE-224 CE) construction, dating to the early first century CE.

In 1997 a number of zealous Muslim leaders from Kahak and Qom, in Taliban style fighting and destroying pre-Islamic heritage, brought 2000-year-old Kermejgān to the ground, by destroying two of her pillars, causing her ancient dome to collapse – her ashlars were taken away in order not to be restored, and some were reused in the construction of a nearby underground water reservoir.

The collapse of the dome and lack of protection, particularly during the wet seasons, has caused the rainwater to penetrate into her foundation from within, causing the floor to rise. Today, from her two remaining pillars only portions of it are visible. No scientific research has ever been carried out on the site, and if no immediate measures are taken to protect the remains then nothing will be left of her within the next few years.

Although the criminals for destroying the heritage site are known to the authorities, no charges were brought against them. This suggests the action was sanctioned by the ruling clerics.

Qom

Qom today is considered as the main centre for the Shiat sect of Islam, it held the same religious prominence during the Sasanian period, but as the Zoroastrian Centre. The city was called Godmān/Gomān and later Ērān Win(n)ārd Kawādh.

 

While nothing is known of Qom’s history during the Median (850-550 BCE) and Achaemenid (550-330 BCE) dynasties, there are significant archaeological remains from the post-Achaemenid and Parthian dynasties, of which the ruins of Khurha (85 km from the city of Qom, and since 1978 part of Markazi Province) are the most famous and important remnants.

Qom during the Sasanian dynasty (224-651 CE) continued to thrive and contained numerous palaces, religious, military and administrative buildings. It is believed that the city was divided into twelve sectors, each having a fire temple.

During the 7^th century CE, the city was formed as the core of the Persian resistance against the Arab invaders, where the Persian nobles and soldiers gathered there after the fall and massacre of Nahavand. The city finally felt into the Arab hands in 644 CE, after a long few days of hard resistance and a number of bloody battles.

After the fall, the city had continued to survive as a Zoroastrian city but under Isfahan’s administration, by placing a poll-tax on the population’s head. This was due to the fact that the Zoroastrian and mythical personalities in connection with the city and its surrounding area was too strong to be Islamicised. However, due to the migration of groups of Arab refugees to the city between 685 and 696 CE, the tables were turned; all the fire temple were razed to the ground and Persian inhabitants were forced to accept Islam or killed and their properties were confiscated. Many of those fire temples had become the foundation for the later mosques, including the Masjed-e Emām.

CAIS Reports More Destruction of Iranian Historic Sites

The News Section
of the Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies (CAIS)
Destruction of Parthian Roudno reliefs and serious damages to the Achaemenid rock tomb by explosives
Thursday, 02 December 2010 15:02
By: T. Ebrahimi from Khuzestan for CAIS

One of the damaged reliefs at Roudno, Iran

LONDON, (CAIS) -- The only known reliefs and rock tombs in Baghmalek district known as Roudno (rūdnō) have been totally destroyed with explosives. The reason for destruction remains unknown.

Roudno is located 2km from Sarhāni and 45km from the town of Baghmalek in Khuzetan province, southwest of Iran.

The news of destruction was initially reported to Khuzestan's Friends of the Cultural Heritage Association (TARIANA) by Bakhtiāri nomads living in the area.

Despite the importance and uniqueness of the site, it had never been registered on Iran’s national heritage list – although registration of a site has no significance in the Islamic Republic, since so far the regime has not shown any care for the pre-Islamic Iranian heritage.

The media has blamed smugglers for the destruction who were allegedly searching for treasures, however, the evidence suggests otherwise.

“The explosives were placed over the two lower reliefs which have both consequently been completely destroyed and we no longer have any evidence of their existence as they had never been recorded” said an archaeologist with ICHTO who wished to remain anonymous for her safety.

“The actual rock tombs are located approximately three meters above the ground level, and in order to search for treasures, explosives are expected to be placed within the chambers which are easily accessible and not outside over the reliefs – therefore suggesting the destruction was intentional”, said the archaeologists.

She continued: “In addition, one of the explosives was placed adjacent to the opening of the chamber at the bottom of the upper relief, causing part of it to be destroyed. There is no reason to place an explosive there. It seems the guilty party intended to destroy the third relief and did not succeed since they either ran out of explosives or were disturbed.”

In the recent years the pre-Islamic heritage sites of the province, in particular the Achaemenid dynastic sites were subjected to a series of organised vandalisms and destructions, and it seems this one is in line with the previous destructions”, concluded the archaeologist.

The nomads blame the Arab immigrants living in the province for the destruction of the ancient site, and accuse the al-Ahwazi terrorist group allegedly financed by the UK.

Since the rise of the Islamic republic to power with the backings of West [What? That's bullshit], particularly Britain, the regime has given residency to 750,000 immigrants from Iraq, majority of which are housed and given key jobs in Khuzestan province. The numbers are so high and pronounced that the Persian language in many places is no longer spoken, especially in banks and government buildings, to the extent that Khuzestanis see themselves as a minority in their own mother land.

“The Arab immigrants escaped to Iran from Saddam Hussain’s prosecution – now there is no threat to Shia population and therefore there is no reason for them not to return to Iraq – our Persian hospitality is overdone, especially when the guests hate the hosts and lay claims over our homes. The Islamic Republic is another Qajar dynasty who gave away our territories in the Caucuses and Central Asia. We Iranians should do something ourselves about this danger today as tomorrow it will be too late and the province after 2500 years of being Persian will turn to “Arabistan” and the dream of the enemies of Iran who wish to control oil-rich Khuzestan will become a reality”, said a worried Khuzestani cultural heritage figure who also wished to remain anonymous for his safety.

Roudno (also Roud-e No meaning 'the new river') is among many of the rock tombs in Baghmalek known to locals as Bard Gūrī (Pers. Gūr Dakhma). However, what separates Roudno from other rock tombs in the area, is its reliefs. In the area the rock tombs have usually been dated to the Parthian dynasty (248 BCE-224 CE).

Although this type of rock tombs dates to the Parthian dynasty, the 63cm tall relief carved adjacent to the entrance is puzzling, as it has an Achaemenid style hairdo, wearing a Parthian outfit and boots in an unfamiliar posture holding an object. It is also claimed to be a figure of a woman due to the feminine posture and hairdo, possibly was depicted a Parthian priestess.

Yunes Sharifee, spokesman for Baghmalek Friends of the Cultural Heritage Association after speaking with the Persian service of ISNA regarding the rock tombs said: “rock tombs are important in Zoroastrian religion as the bodies of the deceased were placed within the rocky chambers in order to prevent pollution of the sacred elements of air, wind and earth.”

The area is attractive to Bakhtiari nomads since it is covered with oak, lotus and turpentine trees. The area is also considered as a permanent base for the elderly who are no longer able to endure the nomadic life and annual winter and summer pasture migrations.

The cultural enthusiasts have called ICHTO to pay attention and protect Iran’s heritage sites in the province.

The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies Makes Strong Statement --

We all know what's going on in Iran with respect to the wholesale looting by the regime of pre-Islamic Iranian antiquities (and the destruction of sites that they cannot figure out a way to make quick money on).  This doesn't get much (if any) coverage in the mainstream press, but the systematic destruction of everything in Iran that is pre-Islamic is a fact of life.  The idiots who were in this country didn't know what they were destroying back in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries when they plowed over Indian mounds or blew them up to make "skyscrapers" (the same cannot be said for developers today, as I try to point out by publishing articles here) -- but the dudes who are running things in Iran right now - they DO know. Oh yeah. 

CAIS has the guts tell it like it is -- they did so once again in this article:

An Ancient Subterranean Secret Complex Discovered in Hamadan Province
Tuesday, 27 July 2010 04:14

LONDON, (CAIS) -- An ancient network of secret tunnels and dwellings has been discovered in Hamedan Province.  The Iranian province lies in an elevated region, with the 'Alvand' mountains, running from the north west to the south west.

The discovered complex is located near the village of Arzanfud, 25 kilometres southeast of the provincial capital-city of Hamedan, the Hamedan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department (HCHTHD) announced Saturday in a press release.

The complex is comprised of 25 rooms connected to each other by several tunnels, had been excavated beneath a stone mound extending deep into the earth at a depth of 4 to 6 meters.

The complex is believed to have been used by habitants as a shelter during wars.

The entrance to the subterranean complex which is hidden or disguised yet to be discovered, but at the moment it is accessible through an original ventilation shaft, widened by HCHTHD’s experts for access.

There are holes carved in the walls, which had been made to hold early light fixtures. A cot has also been identified in the structure.

A number of stone rings and clasps have also been among the discovered artefacts.

According to initial studies, the city likely dates back to the first Iranian dynasty, the Medes (728-550 BCE) or much later to the Parthian dynasty (248 BCE – 224 CE).

No more details were released by the government-controlled organisation about the discovery.

Since March 2009, Iranian archaeologists are banned giving interviews or reveal any information about the ICHTHO or the status of Iranian archaeology. By implementing such a ban the theocratic-totalitarian regime has closed the only reliable avenue for obtaining the accurate information about the status of the archaeological discoveries and the cultural treasures recovered from the sites. [Emphasis added by Jan]

By some reports, the number of priceless artefacts passed to the Iranian museums by ICHTHO, especially those made of precious metals recovered from the sites have been fallen drastically.

The illicit antiquities trade and selling Iranian historical relics to the European markets and private collectors worldwide has become one of the most lucrative revenues for the ruling clerics and their families.

Since the rise of the Islamic Regime to power in 1979, not only the smuggling and looting of Iranian art and antiquity, but a deliberate destruction, mainly Iran’s pre-Islamic heritage have been systematic and widespread. These destructions have been increased since the appointment of Mahmood Ahmadinajad as the president by the Ali Khamanei, the regime's Spiritual Leader.

Historical background:

Hamedan province is one of the most ancient parts of Iran and its civilisation. Today's it capital city of same name, is the remains of the ancient Ecbatana.

According to historical records, there was once a castle in this city by the name of Haft Hessar (Seven Walls) which had a thousand rooms and its grandeur equalled that of the Babylon Tower.

The foundation of city are related to Diya Aku, a the first Iranian historical King, who founded the first Iranian dynasty, the Medes.

During the third Iranian dynasty, the Parthians, Ctesiphon was chosen as the political and winter capital of the empire and Hamedan became the summer capital and residence of the Arasacid King of Kinds. After the the fall of Parthian dynasty, the Sasanian dynasty (224-651 CE) constructed their summer palaces in Hamedan as well.

After the battle of Nahavand in 642 CE, Hamedan fell to the hands of the invading Arabs; the city was pillaged, the most of the inhabitants were massacred and the survivors forced to accept Islam.

Avicenna (c. 980 - 1037 also Pur Sina, Ibn Sina), the foremost Persian physician, philosopher and one of the world's greatest polymath is buried in that city.

Part of Iranian Anahita Temple Destroyed

CAIS reports: Sections of Anahita Temple at Kangavar Destroyed By New Construction Wednesday, 20 January 2010 10:48 LONDON, (CAIS) -- Once again pre-Islamic Iranian heritage faces destruction, this time the victim is the famous historical platform known as the Anahita Temple, in the township of Kangavar in Kermanshah Province. The damages have been caused by construction activities including excavations for concrete-footings on the ancient platform, reported the Persian service of Mehr News on Sunday. The construction has outraged archaeologists and cultural enthusiasts who are voicing their concerns over the destruction.The news agency released pictures showing some concrete-footings at the site that have not yet dried out and metal beams ready to be erected. The evidence suggests a large construction is on the way and no one knows the purpose of the building or who is responsible for the destruction. The construction work at the site has begun despite the fact that the heritage regulations ban any constructions on or around cultural heritage sites, though Islamic Republic is no stranger to ignoring this law. The Islamic Republic’s authorities are also refusing to comment on the issue. When Mehr News agency reporter asked Zeinoldini the director of Kangavar Cultural Heritage Department about the destruction of the site, he refused to comment, responded “the order came from the top to not give any information, and you should contact the ICHTHO’s Public Relation Office to obtain the information.” This is not the first time however the pre-Islamic Iranian heritage is threatened by new constructions. Since the Islamic Republic came to power in 1979, pre-Islamic Iranian heritage has suffered extensively and many historical sites have been destroyed under the guise of development projects. The biggest of them all is the notorious Sivand Dam in Fars province, which submerged over 137 archaeological sites, including an Achaemenid dynastic (550-330 BCE) palace denoted to Darius the Great; a section of the Achaemenid Imperial Road; a Parthian cemetery and a Sasanian dynastic wine workshop. In addition, the humidity that is generated from the artificial lake has affected the structural-integrity of the Pasargadae the first capital of Achaemenid dynasty. Many Iranians and cultural institutions including CAIS, believe the regime’s main objective for building the Sivand dam was a gradual destruction of Pasargadae and particularly the mausoleum of Cyrus the Great as the result of high humidity levels in the area. The historical figure of the Cyrus the Great is placed on the top of the Islamic Regime leaders’ hate list. He who is considered by Iranians as the ‘Father of the Nation’ has been under constant attack and name-callings, simply because Iranians have great respect and deep warm feelings for the benevolent ancient Iranian king. With the current ongoing uprising in Iran, and new hopes for the fall of the theocratic-totalitarian regime on the horizon, Iranians archaeologists and cultural enthusiasts believe the first task of the new regime in power, is an immediate decommissioning of a number of dams built to target pre-Islamic Iranian heritage sites. Anahita Temple The proposed date for the construction of the Anahita Temple is circa 200 BCE, thus placing it as the oldest surviving stone structure from the Parthian dynasty (248BCE - 224CE) in Iran-proper. The platform covers 4,600 sq.m, constructed over a mound 32-meters high, and is claimed to have been a temple dedicated to the Zoroastrian deity ‘Aredvi Sura Anahita’ (Arədvī Sūrā Anāhitā), venerated as the divinity of 'the Waters' (Aban), associated with fertility, healing, purity and wisdom.The remains at Kangavar reveal an edifice that is Hellenistic in character and yet displays distinctly Iranian architectural traits. The platform’s enormous dimensions and its megalithic foundations, corroborated by the two lateral stairways that ascend the platform echo and recalling Achaemenid traditions, particularly mimicking that of the Apadana Palace at Persepolis. Since its construction, the ancient structure underwent numerous major reconstruction periods continuing into 19th century, and until detailed further excavations are to be carried out, no definite judgments may be declared on its function. With the recent invasion and destruction of the site, obtaining and establishing the exact date or the function of the structure sinks further into ambiguity.

Archaeological Site Destroyed in Iran: Update

From CAIS (Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies) LONDON, (CAIS) -- Following the recent destruction of part of an archaeological site in Khuzestan province by state controlled Iran’s National Oil Company’s subcontractors, an Iranian archaeologist claimed the site is the location of the lost Partho-Sasanian city of Azem. The ancient city of Azem was located 35 kilometres east of modern city of Ahvaz, the modern capital city of Khuzestan Province, beside the Gargar River, one of the branches of Karun River. The anciant city believed once had a large population prior to its destruction. Apparently a pre-Islamic inscription was unearthed during the bulldozing the site which points out to its ancient origin. The language of the inscription whether it was Parthian-Pahlavi or Sasanian-Pahlavi was not disclosed. According to archaeologist Hamid Reza Farrokh-Ahmadi, the city was mentioned in the ‘Figures of the Climates’ written over 1100 years ago by Iranian Geographer Estakhri. “Regrettably, ICHHTO does not care about the faith of the site, not understanding that these ancient sites are our national identity, and when they are ignored our identity is threatened”, said Farrokh-Ahmadi speaking to the Persian service of Mehr News agency. Although the existence of the city in the ancient times is not disputed, but it must have had a different name to what Estakhri stated as Azem; –such as the modern city of Ahvaz, which Estakhri recorded as Horm-Shir. Horm-Shir was a corrupted version of the Sasanian Hormuzd-Ardashir, and the modern name of Ahvaz / Ahwaz, is an anagram of the Old-Persian "Āvāz" and "Āvāja" which appears on Darius the Great' epigraph.

Elamite Jar Burial Transferred to Museum for Safekeeping

I hope it will be safe in the museum; you never know what the fundamentalist nut-cases who are running Iran may do. They've already flooded out countless ancient Persian ruins with their "dam building" projects and bulldozed others into rubble with their "road building" projects. Still others have been vandalized by bajis - the asshole thugs who think their shit doesn't stink. Ha! I've written about the Iranian government's deliberate destruction of pre-Islamic Persian culture many times in this blog. This was reported by CAIS from a report on Mehr News: Elamite Jar Burial Transferred to Haft-Tappeh Museum Wednesday, 01 July 2009 00:00 LONDON, (CAIS) -- Iran’s most intact jar burial, which dates back to the Elamite era, was transferred to the Haft-Tappeh Museum last week. Containing a skeleton in fetal position, the jar was discovered during the latest excavation carried out several months ago at Haft-Tappeh, a major Elamite site near Susa in Khuzestan Province, the Persian service of CHN reported on Tuesday. “This is the first time such an intact jar burial has been unearthed,” director of the Restoration Department of the Haft-Tappeh and Chogha Zanbil Center Kazem Borhani said. “Urgent actions were taken to preserve the artefact in situ in order to safely transfer it to the centre for restoration,” he stated. A piece of the jar has been removed to enable visitors to see the skeleton inside it, Borhani explained. An anthropologist has begun a series of studies to determine the gender of the skeleton, which is believed to date back to the Middle Elamite period (c. 1500-1100 BCE).

Ancient Cemetery Turned Into Iranian Garbage Dump

Report from CAIS: Partho-Sasanian Dynastic Cemetery Turned Into Garbage Dump in Susa March 2, 2009 LONDON, (CAIS) -- A Partho-Sasanian (248 BCE – 651 CE) dynastic cemetery, located on the perimeter of the ancient city of Susa in Khuzestan Province, has recently been turned into a garbage dump. Since May 2007, some locals and the Shush Municipality dump their rubbish and the building wastes into a 100x100 meter excavation six meters deep intended for a hotel construction project at the site reported the Persian service of CHN on Monday. The hotel construction project, named Laleh, was cancelled following objections raised by the Iranian and international communities, cultural heritage enthusiasts and a number of world renowned archaeologists, including French archaeologist Rémy Boucharlat. The excavation was to be filled in after an expert study. However so far, no report has been published about the study or when the dig will be filled. In October 2008, another hotel construction project, named Amir Zargar, also infringed upon the Susa perimeter with the digging of some holes near the ancient city. The Amir Zargar project was also halted after the Shush Cultural Heritage Centre filled a lawsuit against the project’s owner. This is not first time Susa has been damaged by the Islamic republic’s organizations. The Sasanian dynastic era palace site of Eyvan-e Karkheh located near Susa had at one point in 2005 been used as a garbage dump. Eyvan-e Karkheh is currently being threatened by agricultural activities of the Islamic Azad University. Susa has also sustained damage from vandals. The column bases of Susa’s Apadana Palace were destroyed by vandals in January 2008. The palace perimeter was also demolished by construction of a preparatory school. The building, which is to be four stories tall, will spoil the view of the profile of the palace ruins. In addition, the historical metropolis of Susa is being obliterated by construction of a passenger bus terminal in the city’s southern section, and three football fields that host many young teams and fans every day. As well as being an archaeological site, Susa is also mentioned in the Old Testament as one of the places where the Daniel lived. His tomb is located in the heart of the city.Susa is one of the oldest known settlements in the region, probably founded around 4000 BCE, though the first traces of an inhabited village date back to 7000 BCE. Susa was destroyed at least four times in its’ long history. The first was in 647 BCE, by the Assyrian king Assurbanipal; the second destruction took place in 331 BCE by Alexander of Macedon; the third destruction was done by the Moslem’s invading armies when they sacked it in 638 CE, and finally the city was completely destroyed by Mongols in 1218.

The Slow Erasure of Ancient Persia

From CAIS: Islamic Regime has Issued a Permit for the Construction of a Hotel, Just 20-meters Away from 2500-Years-Old Apadana Palace March 8, 2008 LONDON, (CAIS) -- A permit has been issued by Khuzestan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department (KCHTHD) to construct a three story hotel building, just 20 meters away from the Achaemenid Apadana palace in Susa, said Mojtaba Gahestuni, the spokesman for the Khuzestan’s Friends of the Cultural Heritage Association (Tariana). The license for constructing 'Amirzargar' hotel was issued to a private owner by 'Sadeq Mohammadi' the director of KCHTHD. Tariana in an official letter to KCHTHD demanded the license to be revoked immediately. The Apadana Palace has already been threatened by the construction of a school on its perimeter, but the construction of this hotel will definitely ensure the destruction of this important historical site in the long term. In early January, vandals also smashed remaining column bases at Apadana and the Old-Persian cuneiform inscriptions on the base have been obliterated. The Apadana Palace is also being threatened by the construction of a preparatory school on its perimeter. In early December 2007, Tariana sent letters to the regime’s president Mahmud Ahmadinejad, asking him put a stop to the project – but the letter not so surprisingly was ignored, and destruction continued. These crimes against Iranian national heritage is being carried out in accordance with the Islamic regime's de-Iranianisation policy. Issuing such a permit is either done in accordance with such policy, or the KCHTHD's authorities have received bribes to issue the devastating permit or just 'kill two birds, with one stone'. Since the rise of theocratic totalitarian regime to power in 1979, the anti-Iranian leaders of the Islamic regime have dedicated significant resources to restructuring Iranian culture, values and sense of national identity, and as the result many pre-Islamic historical and archaeological sites have been devastated. In general, the regime has been trying to destroy and erase all pre-Islamic cultural heritage from the consciousness of the Iranians at any cost, in favour of Islamic culture, and the Islamic way of life. In addition, in Islamic Iran the criteria of choosing executive figures and occupying managerial positions including ICHTHO are not based on their level of education or expertise, but based on their level of devotion to the regime, a majority of them being corrupt*. These corrupt authorities along with the ruling clerics and their families (in Persian language known as āqā-zādegān) have managed to accumulate unheard of wealth through corruption, bribery and embezzlement, and live in opulence and luxury at the expense of the Iranian nation and Iranian heritage. * Since 1979, Islamic Iran ranks 88 out of 158 countries on the "Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index" (CPI) with a CPI score of 2.9 (a scale of 0 – 10 with 0 being the most corrupt). In real terms Islamic regime made bribery another form of income supplement for the Iranian society, in order to disintegrate traditional values and moralities among Iranian people, to pave the way for destruction of Iran. Corruption encouraged at every level, which have nowadays have become an accepted part of every day life - from gifting the postman to make sure one’s mail is delivered to major corruption on the international level in the oil and its related industries.

Cultural Heritage Being Destroyed by Ayatollahs

Published: 01/13/08, 2:59 PM Iran Plans on Destroying Tomb of King Cyrus, Friend of the Jews by Ezra HaLevi IsraelNN.com) Iran is planning on submerging the tomb of King Cyrus (Coresh), the Persian King known for authorizing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Holy Temple. According to a report by Omedia, an Iranian organization is demanding that the International Criminal Court take action against those responsible. The Iranian ayatollahs are planning on destroying the tomb as part of a general campaign to sever the Persian people from their non-Islamic heritage; Cyrus was thought to be a Zoroastrian and was one of the first rulers to enforce a policy of religious tolerance on his huge kingdom. Journalist Ran Porat quoted a young Iranian who said that the measures being taken by the Islamic Republic’s regime include the destruction of archaeological sites significant to this heritage. “The government is in the final stages of constructing a dam in southern Iran that will submerge the archaeological sites of Pasargad and Persopolis – the ancient capital of the Persian Empire,” the report states. “The site, which is considered exceptional in terms of its archaeological wealth and historical importance, houses the tomb of the Persian King Cyrus.” Cyrus, who lived from 576-530 BCE, liberated Babylonian Jewry from their exile in the famous Declaration of Cyrus (mentioned in the book of Ezra in both Hebrew and Aramaic). A group of Iranian academics opposed to the regime’s policies founded a group called the Pasargad Heritage Foundation with hopes of getting the United Nations involved in protecting the historical site. Most recently, the foundation filed a petition with the International Criminal Court against the Iranian official in charge of maintaining the sites, charging him and his bureau with "crimes against humanity, due to the systematic state-sanctioned destruction of the culture of the ancient Iranian world and its historical heritage." Though the city of Pasargad is a ruin, Cyrus’s Tomb has remained largely intact and it has been partially restored to counter its natural deterioration over the years. Cyrus was praised in the Tanach (Isaiah 45:1-6), though he was also criticized for believing the false report of the Cuthites, who wanted to halt the building of the Second Temple. They accused the Jews of conspiring to rebel, so Cyrus in turn stopped the construction of the temple, which would not be completed until 516 BCE, during the reign of Darius the Great, the grandson of Queen Esther.

Despite All Oppositions, the Regime in Tehran is Dedicated to Destroy Naqsh-e Rostam

Reports like this make me so sad - and angry - and frustrated! From CAIS August 4, 2007: LONDON, (CAIS) -- Despite all oppositions made so far by Iranians and Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) against construction of Esfahan-Shiraz railway by the Islamic Republic only in 300-meter away from Naqsh-e Rostam historic site. Based on earlier agreements between authorities of Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Road and Transportation and ICHHTO, the project of Esfahan-Shiraz railway was due to change its path and be constructed with the maximum distance from Naqsh-e Rostam to cause the least harm to this historic site. However, its seems by purchasing the farmlands in vicinity of Naqsh-e Rostam and marking the path of the railway, the regime is pursuing their original plan. Prior to this, after revising the suggested route by Ministry of Road and Transportation, the technical council of ICHHTO decided that the path for construction the railroad must change. Experts of ICHHTO have previously warned that the powerful jolts caused by train would have a harmful effect on the historic monuments in the area - train vibrations would eventually damage Naqsh-e Rostam monument, and ensures the destruction of Ka’aba of Zoroaster less than ten-years. Considering that Pars-e Pasargadae Research Centre is determined to prepare the ground for registration of Naqsh-e Rostam in list of UNESCO’s World Heritage site, as annex of Persepolis world heritage site, construction of the railway in such a close distance of this historic site would ruin the chance of world registration of this Achaemenid site forever. UNESCO asked the regime in Tehran to give an explanation about construction of the railway near Naqsh-e Rostam in the 31st session of World Heritage Committee. Located in Iranian Fars province, 12 kilometer distance of Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rostam contains four tombs belonging to Achaemenid dynastic emperors which were carved out of the rock. Ka’aba of Zoroaster bears number of inscription belong to Parthian and Sasanian dynastic eras. Since the coming of theocratic regime to power in Iran, the regime leaders have dedicated themselves to restructure Iranian culture and history. Many pre-Islamic historical and archaeological sites have been devastated under the cover of development projects: destroyed as part of highway and railway track construction; contaminated irreparably by chemical factories; undermined by nearby hotels; obliterated as part of mining; or submerged beneath dam reservoirs.