From Pasargadae and Persepolis to Tehran, Shiraz, and other cities, Resistance Units highlight Iran’s historical struggle for freedom, rejecting both monarchical and clerical dictatorship under the slogan “Neither Shah nor Mullah.”
Iran’s Resistance Units carried out 50 revolutionary activities across 11 cities on October 29, marking the anniversary of Cyrus the Great with a clear political message: Iran’s future must belong to its people, not another dictatorship. Under the slogans “Neither Mullah nor Cossack—Down with the Dictator” and “Death to the oppressor, be it Shah or Supreme Leader,” the activities challenged both the ruling clerical establishment and attempts to revive monarchical authoritarianism.
The actions took place in Tehran, Shiraz, Pasargadae, Persepolis, Tabriz, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Hamadan, Arak, Kamyaran, and Kangavar. They included displaying banners and handwritten placards, installing posters, and recording video messages at prominent historical and public locations.
The choice of October 29, commemorated by many Iranians as Cyrus the Great Day, gave the campaign particular significance. Rather than allowing Iran’s ancient history to be appropriated as a symbol of monarchical rule, the Resistance Units used the occasion to connect the country’s historical heritage with the contemporary demand for freedom and an end to dictatorship.
Pasargadae and Persepolis: No dictatorship, regardless of its crown
At the tomb of Cyrus the Great in Pasargadae, Resistance Units displayed handwritten placards bearing the slogan: “Death to the oppressor, be it Shah or Supreme Leader.” Other video messages from the site invoked Cyrus alongside Mohammad Mossadegh and the Iranian Resistance, emphasizing continuity in the struggle for freedom.
One message declared: “Cyrus, we have come to visit you. Cyrus, Mossadegh, your path continues. Death to the oppressor, be it Shah or Supreme Leader.”
Another proclaimed: “Neither Pahlavi nor Supreme Leader; democracy and equality.”
The messages made a deliberate distinction between honoring Iran’s historical heritage and endorsing hereditary monarchy. The central argument was that neither the crown nor the clerical turban can provide a legitimate basis for political authority.
Shiraz: Linking historical heritage to the struggle for a democratic republic
In Shiraz, Resistance Units carried out a particularly broad series of activities at locations including the Quran Gate and Hafezieh, as well as in public streets.
Posters featuring Cyrus the Great and Mohammad Mossadegh appeared with slogans such as “Neither Mullah nor Cossack; Cyrus and Mossadegh, may your spirits rest in peace” and “Cyrus, Mossadegh, we fight, we die, we will take Iran back.”
Other actions displayed images of Maryam Rajavi and Massoud Rajavi, connecting the historical commemoration to the Resistance’s political alternative. One poster declared: “The mullahs, like the Shah, must go; sovereignty belongs to the people of Iran.”
Another stated: “Cyrus Day is a reminder of an Iran without tyranny. Cyrus symbolizes justice. Neither monarchy nor Supreme Leadership.”
The slogan “We are children of Cyrus; we are Resistance Units” also appeared repeatedly in posters and public displays.
These activities presented the demand for a democratic republic as the alternative to both the current clerical dictatorship and the restoration of the Pahlavi monarchy. They also recalled the historical experience of Iranians who struggled against authoritarian rule under the Shah.
Tehran: Rejecting the Shah and the Supreme Leader alike
In Tehran, Resistance Units carried out a series of individual and joint activities using handwritten placards, printed posters, and visual displays.
Among the most prominent slogans were:
- “Iranians are awake; they reject both the Shah and the Mullah.”
- “Neither crown nor turban; the mullahs’ time is over.”
- “Neither Shah nor Mullah.”
- “Death to the oppressor, be it Shah or Supreme Leader.”
Several displays highlighted the 120-year history of Iran’s struggle for freedom against both monarchical and clerical dictatorship. Others featured images of Massoud Rajavi and Maryam Rajavi, emphasizing the Resistance’s commitment to rejecting both forms of authoritarianism.
One message declared: “Neither Shah nor Mullah means drawing a clear line against dictatorship and dependence.”
Another stated: “The Iranian Resistance, founded on the principle of Neither Shah nor Mullah, stands firm on the people’s front.”
The repeated use of these slogans underscored the campaign’s central political message: replacing one authoritarian system with another would not constitute liberation.
Activities across other cities
The campaign extended beyond the historical sites and major urban centers, with activities reported in several other provinces and towns.
In Isfahan, Resistance Units displayed images of Cyrus and Mossadegh, repeated the slogan “Neither Mullah nor Cossack,” and called for the end of dictatorship. Other messages expressed support for the Resistance and declared: “We are children of Cyrus; we are Resistance Units.”
In Tabriz, a handwritten placard carried the slogan “Death to the oppressor, be it Shah or Supreme Leader.”
In Kermanshah, activists displayed messages rejecting both the Shah and the clerical establishment, alongside the slogan identifying the Resistance Units as children of Cyrus.
In Hamadan, banners called for reclaiming Iran, while other placards linked the historical commemoration to support for the Resistance.
In Arak, posters featuring Cyrus and Mossadegh were installed in public spaces, reiterating the rejection of both clerical and monarchical dictatorship.
In Kamyaran, activists displayed the slogans “Death to the oppressor, be it Shah or Supreme Leader” and “I am a Resistance Unit; I am a child of Cyrus.” In Kangavar, a handwritten placard declared that Iranians reject both the Shah and the Mullah.
Neither Shah nor Mullah: The demand for an end to dictatorship
The 50 activities carried out across 11 cities on Cyrus the Great Day conveyed a consistent political position. The Resistance Units sought to reclaim Iran’s historical heritage from competing authoritarian narratives and place it within the framework of a democratic future.
The recurring references to Cyrus and Mossadegh were not simply commemorative gestures. They accompanied an explicit rejection of hereditary rule, religious dictatorship, and political dependence. The message was directed at both the regime in power and those seeking to restore the monarchy under Reza Pahlavi.
For the Resistance, the slogan “Neither Shah nor Mullah” represents more than opposition to two political figures or historical periods. It expresses a fundamental rejection of dictatorship as a system of government and insists that sovereignty must rest with the Iranian people.
As the slogans displayed in Pasargadae, Persepolis, Tehran, and other cities made clear, the demand is not for a return to the past, but for an Iran in which neither a crown nor a turban determines the country’s future.