کوروش بزرگ — پدر حقوق بشر و بنیانگذار شاهنشاهی ایران
Cyrus II, known as Cyrus the Great (Old Persian: Kūruš), founded the largest empire the ancient world had ever seen in 550 BC. From the highlands of Fars, he united the Medes and Persians and went on to conquer Lydia, Babylon, and Central Asia — creating an empire stretching from the Aegean Sea to the Indus River.
After conquering Babylon in 539 BC without bloodshed, Cyrus issued the Cyrus Cylinder — widely considered the first declaration of human rights. It proclaimed freedom of religion, abolition of slavery, and the right of conquered peoples to maintain their customs and beliefs.
Today, Cyrus's legacy inspires millions of Iranians fighting for freedom and secular democracy. His values of tolerance, justice, and respect for human dignity stand in stark contrast to the theocratic regime, making him the most powerful symbol of what Iran once was and can be again.
The Cyrus Cylinder is an ancient clay cylinder inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform, recording Cyrus the Great's conquest of Babylon and his declaration of religious tolerance, freedom for slaves, and respect for local customs. It is housed in the British Museum.
Cyrus represents Iran's pre-Islamic heritage of tolerance, justice, and human rights. His legacy is invoked by the Iranian freedom movement as proof that Persian civilization was built on values of freedom, not theocracy.