In a meeting with the staff of Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, he said, “In the past few days, a group of people gathered around the tomb of Cyrus in Shiraz and chanted slogans.” 

The demonstrators were chantingfreedom of thought, not possible with beards,” and, “Iran is our country, Cyrus is our father,” also, Mullahs’ regime, only oppression, only war,” as well as,forget about Syria, think about us.” Somewhat more inflammatory, anti-regime slogans were also chanted, such as,Death to the dictator”, as well as Merciless commander (General) has plundered Iran.” 

Noori Hamedani called the participants ‘counter-revolutionary’, saying, These are a bunch of counter-revolutionary people and I wonder how they are allowed to gather in the tomb of Cyrus and chant the same slogans for Cyrus as we do for our supreme leader, and once again, despite being alive, we are only sitting and watching.” 

He also complained about the Cyrus Day gathering being held in Pasargadae Cultural Heritage Complex, asking,which authority has failed to fulfill its obligations so that these people could gather like this?”           

The NCRI also reports on November 1, that the prosecutor in Shiraz (Fars province, southern Iran) has announced that the main elements” of the Cyrus Day gathering are arrested. No names, nor the number of people arrested, have been released.  

State-run Mehr news agency, October 31, reports Ali Salehi, public prosecutor of Shiraz, as saying, Leaders and main ringleaders of the rally that chanted disturbing and anti-values slogans were arrested… judicial files have been formed for these individuals…and they will be dealt with necessary judicial procedure” 

Actions of these people had earlier been monitored by the security, intelligence and law enforcement apparatus,” Salehi continued,After conducting the necessary investigations, the leaders and main elements of the demonstration who attempted to chant unconventional and norm-breaking slogans were arrested for their anti-values activities.” This, according to the state-run ISNA news agency, on October 31. 

Reportedly, state-run media of both ruling factions described the gathering at Pasargadae as a move against the mullahs’ regime, and called for confrontational measures against such gatherings. 

The slogans of demonstrators on Friday at Pasargadae showed that the anniversary of Cyrus is only a pretext to target the principle of the system (regime),” one such state media wrote.  It also denounced,The slogans of ‘neither Gaza nor Lebanon’ as well as ‘freedom of thought cannot be [obtained] with beard and pashm [Ovine-wool-like beard, a metaphor for hypocrite mullahs]’, which have been transferred from the streets of Tehran to the Marvdasht plains [Shiraz].” 

Another state-run media wrote,Designating a day as ‘Cyrus Day’ is not unexpected. If the parliament and the country’s cultural administrators attempt [to solve] this important issue, the road to destruction and polarization [of the society] will be closed on some people.” 

Thousands of people from across the country gathered in Pasargadae calling Cyrus the Great the founding father of human rights” and an honor for every Iranian.”  

The Iranian Resistance issued a call to all Iranian people, especially the youth, to protest these arrests, and show solidarity with the families of arrestees. It also calls for all international authorities who advocate for human rights to take action for the immediate release the detainees.