Latest news with #CyrustheGreat
India.com
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
25000 wine bottles, 18 tons of food, 100 planes and…, World's most expensive party ever was hosted by…, it ended up changing the ruler of the country, cost Rs…
25000 wine bottles, 18 tons of food, 100 planes and..., World's most expensive party ever was hosted by..., it ended up changing the ruler of the country, cost Rs... The war between Iran and Israel has become one of the most talked-about issues in the world right now. Both countries are suffering heavy losses, but neither is ready to back down. With the United States also stepping into the conflict, the situation has become even more serious, and many fear the war could drag on for a long time. This war is not just about bombs and borders, it could also hurt trade in the region. Countries in West Asia, including India, may feel the impact on their business ties and economy. Since we're talking about Iran, let's look back at a shocking moment in its history i.e. a party so grand and expensive that it is still remembered even today. Many believe that this party led to the fall of Iran's ruler at the time. About world's most expensive party In 1971, Iran's economy was weak and many people were struggling with poverty and unemployment. Some of them even did not have access to clean drinking water. But despite this, the Iranian government decided to throw a huge and expensive party to celebrate 2,500 years of the Persian Empire. It is said that this party cost more than Rs. 843 crore (in today's value). The part was full of luxury, it has fine food, decorations, and guests from around the world. But while the leaders enjoyed themselves, the common people were angry as they were living in hardship while their rulers spent a massive amount of money on a celebration. The party sparked public outrage People started protesting against the government, and the anger grew so strong that, eventually, the ruling power was overthrown. Many believe this party was the turning point that led to the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which changed the country forever. In 1971, Iran was ruled by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah (King) of Iran. At that time, the country was heavily influenced by Western culture, people wore modern clothes, parties were common, and Iran was trying to look like a modern, global nation. To show off Iran's long history and glory, the Shah decided to celebrate 2,500 years of the Persian Empire in a grand way. The celebration took place in Persepolis, an ancient city in the desert where the tomb of Cyrus the Great, one of Iran's greatest kings, is located. What made this party so big? 65 countries sent their representatives to attend the event. 18 tons of food were brought from France, including gourmet meals and desserts. Around 25,000 bottles of wine were served. More than 100 planes were used to fly in the guests. Since Tehran didn't have enough hotels, a temporary luxury city of tents like royal palaces was built in the desert. Roads were built, and decorations were added to make the desert look green. They even brought in 50,000 birds to make the place feel alive but sadly, most of them died because of the extreme heat. Why did it lead to a revolution? Mohammad Reza Shah became the king of Iran in 1941. Even though the country was facing economic problems, he welcomed Western culture and supported modern, liberal ideas. He also spoke out against traditional practices like wearing the hijab. This upset many religious leaders, and his government began jailing people who disagreed with him. While the Shah was busy throwing this lavish party, ordinary Iranians were struggling. Many people didn't have jobs, or basic needs. Seeing such waste of money made people very angry. They felt the Shah was more interested in showing off to the world than caring for his own people. This anger slowly turned into a revolution. In 1979, just eight years after that party, the people of Iran, led by Ayatollah Khomeini, overthrew the Shah. The monarchy ended, and Iran became an Islamic Republic.
Time Magazine
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Taking Out Iran's Nuclear Facilities Could Usher In a New Dawn for Peace and Prosperity In the Middle East
Cyrus the Great, the compassionate and tolerant Babylonian who unified Iranian tribes in 549 BC to create the Persian empire, advised leaders to seek 'diversity in counsel and unity in command', and 'whenever you can, act as a liberator.' While Cyrus' Iranian descendants lost this wisdom, his message was heard by the U.S. For months, we have warned that Iran stood on the precipice of developing a nuclear weapon. While we do not agree with Donald Trump on many issues, we presciently predicted that in the face of this crisis, the president would act decisively to neutralize Iran's nuclear capabilities. It is premature to declare 'mission accomplished' from Trump's decision today to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, with many expecting potential retaliatory strikes against US forces, allies, and interests by Iran in the hours and days ahead. But from a broader strategic perspective, it is already clear that today marks a potential turning point for the Middle East. Far from an unnecessary escalation, as some critics suggest, these strikes represent a step closer to peace and prosperity for the U.S., the Middle East, and the world. The main threat to that - Iran and its proxy network - have been dramatically weakened. It is hard to overstate the significance of Trump's strike. A nuclear Iran was one of the gravest long-term security threats facing the world, and nobody wanted to see a regime — dominated by extremist clerics and fanatics responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people — obtain weapons of mass destruction. But for decades, the presence of Hezbollah, Hamas, and other Iran-backed proxies as threats on Israel's borders made the neutralization of Iran's nuclear ambitions unachievable and even unthinkable. For many, it became easier to live with the threat of a nuclear Iran than to deal with it. Thanks to Israel's decimation of Iran's proxies over the last two years, sometimes in defiance of western governments, that balance of power has gradually shifted. Khamenei had a chance for a new nuclear deal, but misguidedly chose not to seize it, reflecting the same fundamental miscalculation that brought the demise of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah, and culminating in today's coup de grace. With a substantively denuclearized Iranian regime now stripped of key military capabilities and regional leverage, with Hamas and Hezbollah largely neutralized as offensive forces, the greatest obstacles to peace and prosperity in the Middle East will soon be out of the way, creating potential conditions towards expanding the Abraham Accords and forging new economic, cultural, and diplomatic ties between Israel and the greater Arab world. In fact, Hamas's attacks on October 7, 2023, were driven in part by Hamas' objective of derailing a planned normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, the home of Mecca and the spiritual and symbolic center of Islam. Riyadh will not be able to move immediately, even if Israel ends the war in Gaza and is able to bring the hostages back home, with the death and destruction in Gaza having soured Arab populaces toward Israel. But make no mistake, today's developments will help bring that process back on track over time, as the people of the Middle East continue to push forward with choosing a future of regional peace and economic prosperity over fear, terror and oppression. As Jared Kushner, the architect of the Abraham Accords, put it: 'Iranian leadership has been stuck in the old Middle East, while their neighbors in the Gulf are sprinting toward the future by investing in their populations and infrastructure. They are becoming dynamic magnets for talent and investment while Iran falls further behind.' Despite criticism of the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities from across the political spectrum — from Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tucker Carlson and Thomas Massie on the right, to Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the left — many others have acknowledged its strategic implications and potential opportunities. Figures from both parties, including some of Trump's most frequent critics, such as President Obama and President Biden's top Mideast advisor, Brett McGurk, to former White House Chief of Staff and Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel — have recognized the potential significance of this moment. As Emanuel pointed out on CNN, the biggest losers from Trump's strikes are America's enemies abroad, chiefly China and Russia, who were the biggest supporters and enablers of Iran's drive towards a nuclear weapon. Some have even suggested that Putin encouraged Tehran and its proxies as a diversion of attention away from Ukraine. It is now apparent that Iran's struggles have backfired catastrophically on its allies, with their efforts and investment having gone for naught. Ever since George W. Bush anointed Russia, Iran and North Korea as the Axis of Evil, the U.S. had failed to cripple its surge — until now. To be clear, it is still far too early to declare 'mission complete'. We are still in the earliest innings as retaliatory strikes from Iran appear imminent. Khamenei will need to do some kind of retaliation, perhaps targeting American forces and bases in the region or targeting the Saudis or Emiratis or another of our regional allies, or shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, to show Iran can hurt the US and its interests. Regardless, the U.S. is well positioned to fend off Iran's next move, especially if Tehran should choose to engage in economic warfare and target global oil supplies. If Iran moves to blockade or attack oil tankers traversing the crucial Strait of Hormuz — where 20% of the world's oil passes through — the U.S. 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain, can easily break the blockade or provide escorts to tankers as it did during the Gulf War. If Iranian oil is then taken off the market or if Tehran should target Gulf oil facilities, there is plenty of spare oil capacity globally to make up for what is lost. Iran's roughly two million barrels per day of exports pale in comparison to the approximately three million barrels per day of spare capacity possessed by Saudi Arabia alone, not to mention spare capacity within other OPEC+ countries as well as the U.S., now the world's single largest oil producer. Similarly, on a military front, despite reports that Israel is running low on missile interceptors, which may be overstated anyhow; the U.S. is well prepared to continue supporting Israel while Iran runs hopelessly low on its own supply of ballistic missiles, not to mention the destruction of many missile launch sites. Furthermore, Iran is still well incentivized to avoid an all-out war with the U.S., which they have long dreaded, for fear that the revolutionary regime led by the Ayatollah may be overthrown. While the full extent of the damage to Iran's nuclear capabilities remains uncertain, what is clear is that Iran's nuclear ambitions have been severely degraded and set back years, if not decades. After the U.S., during the Eisenhower administration, helped initiate Iran's nuclear program for civilian use, the Iranian revolutionary regime has invested half a trillion dollars over 40 years on weaponizing their nuclear program, inching ever closer to the atomic bomb. Between the imploding Iranian economy and the loss of dozens of key nuclear scientists, it will take even longer for Iran to build back what they have lost. While it remains too soon to know how events will unfold, there is cautious optimism about the possibility of a more stable and peaceful future in the Middle East. Far from marking a needless escalation, this week's strikes degrading Iran's nuclear capabilities represent a step closer to peace and prosperity for the U.S., the Middle East, and the world. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld is Lester Crown Professor of Management Practice at the Yale School of Management as well as founder and president of the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute, the world's first school for incumbent CEOs across sectors. He has informally advised five U.S. presidents, two Republicans and three Democrats; helped advise the development of the Abraham Accords; and helped catalyze the exit of over 1,000 companies from Russia. Dennis Ross is former special assistant to President Barack Obama in charge of the Middle East. He is the counselor at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and also teaches at Georgetown University's Center for Jewish Civilization. He has worked on Mideast peace across six decades for both Democratic and Republican Presidents, including as Special Envoy for President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton as well as a member of the National Security Council staff. Roya Hakakian is a public scholar at the Moynihan Center at City College, CUNY. She is the author of several books, including Journey from the Land of No: A Girlhood Caught in Revolutionary Iran. Steven Tian is research director of the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute. He previously worked in the U.S. State Department on Iranian nuclear nonproliferation in the Office of the Under Secretary.
Newsweek
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
We're Members of the Israeli Knesset. Here's Our Message to Iranians
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. To the proud people of Iran: This is not a message to your rulers. It's a message to you—the heirs of Cyrus the Great, of Ferdowsi, Avicenna, and Rumi. For centuries, Iranian civilization was one of the most admired in the world. Your science, art, and literature helped shape humanity's understanding of beauty and wisdom. Your gardens inspired the world. Your poetry spoke of mercy, truth, and the soul. But that light has been dimmed by a regime that fears freedom. A regime that crushes dissent, bans art, jails women, and spends your national treasure on weapons, militias, and war. This week, Israel acted—not to punish Iran, but to stop the machinery of destruction that threatens the region and the world. We struck facilities and commanders tied to the regime's nuclear and terror infrastructure. These strikes were precise and limited—aimed not at the Iranian people, but at the violent ideology that endangers them too. We acted because no sovereign nation can accept the threat of annihilation. But we also acted because we believe in a different future—one we know is possible. Our two peoples have known friendship before. There was a time—not so long ago—when Israel and Iran were close partners, exchanging knowledge, trade, and good will. That friendship was not a fluke. It was a reflection of two ancient civilizations that, when working together, can bring tremendous good to the region and to the world. That potential still exists. It is only blocked by the extremist regime that came to power and tore that friendship apart. A new Middle East is taking shape before our eyes. Countries that once saw each other as enemies are working together—through the Abraham Accords—to build a region based on cooperation and shared prosperity. Israeli and Emirati entrepreneurs develop startups together. Bahraini and Moroccan students study at Israeli universities. Regional air defense is being built across borders. This isn't some distant dream—it's happening now. And a free Iran could be part of it. Israeli flags stand amid rubble and destruction in a residential area of Rishon LeZion, Israel on June 14, 2025. Israeli flags stand amid rubble and destruction in a residential area of Rishon LeZion, Israel on June 14, 2025. Khadija Toufik / Middle East ImagesWe're not naïve. We know the regime will try to crush hope. But we also know that hope is already alive. We saw it in 2009's Green Movement, in 2019's street protests, in the women-led resistance of 2022. We've seen you risk everything to sing in your language, to dance in your cities, to choose how you live and who you worship. We write to you not as rivals, but as partners in a shared struggle—against tyranny, against extremism, against the silence that fear imposes. We, too, come from a people who faced darkness. Our own state was born from suffering, but we built a democracy. We know what it means to be isolated, to be targeted, and to rise anyway. Israel is ready to work with any nation that seeks peace. And one day, we believe, that can include a free Iran—one that no longer exports weapons and terror, but science, poetry, medicine, and innovation. Imagine Iranian engineers working side by side with Israeli ones on clean energy. Imagine Iranian music echoing through regional festivals. Imagine Tehran's universities as centers of knowledge, not repression. This isn't a fantasy. It's a choice. And only you can make it. No foreign army can bring freedom. But people can. When enough citizens say, "no more." When they say, "our identity will not be defined by fear." When they say, "our children deserve a life of dignity, not propaganda." The world is watching. This is your moment—to rise on your own terms and reclaim the story of your country. History has not forgotten the beauty and greatness of Iran. And neither have we. We stand with you, coalition and opposition in Israel together—not above you, not beyond you, but beside you. Dan Illouz is a Member of Knesset for the coalition Likud Party and Co‑Chair of the Knesset Abraham Accords Caucus. Michael Biton is a Member of Knesset for the opposition National Unity Party and Co‑Chair of the Knesset Abraham Accords Caucus. The views expressed in this article are the writers' own.
Observer
03-06-2025
- Business
- Observer
The Phoenix doctrine: Why Iran grows stronger
Many years ago, while writing a research paper on Iran, I was impressed by a recurring theme: Researchers and visitors alike consistently spoke of the depth of Persian civilisation and culture, in addition to falling deeply in love with the country. They described breathtaking landscapes in the south and the north, profound ancient history in Takht Jamshid and Isfahan, and a culture marked by extraordinary warmth, poetry and intellectual depth in Shiraz. We, in Oman, appreciate this enduring appeal and how it stands in sharp contrast to the image sometimes portrayed internationally. This is evident in the recent warm welcoming of the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Muscat. Today, Iran faces intense military and economic pressure from the US and regional actors. Yet, history and current realities suggest a counterintuitive outcome: Iran is poised to emerge stronger from this fire. This resilience is deeply rooted in Persian civilisation and refined by decades of defiance. Forged in the fire The relentless economic sanctions, while causing undeniable hardship, have paradoxically forced Iran to diversify its economy away from crippling oil dependence, fostering significant self-reliance. The doctrine of the "Resistance Economy", actively promoted, prioritises boosting domestic production, slashing non-essential imports, and ramping up non-oil exports. The results, though emerging amidst high inflation (around 35 per cent as of mid-2024, IMF estimates), are tangible. Iran's non-oil exports reached a record $53 billion in 2023 (Iran Customs data). Sectors like agriculture, petrochemicals and mining have grown, while domestic manufacturing — especially in vital areas like pharmaceuticals and basic goods — has surged out of sheer necessity. Projections even indicate modest economic growth for 2024 (around 2-3 per cent, IMF/World Bank). This echoes the pragmatic ingenuity seen in Cyrus the Great's administration, which governed a vast, diverse empire through systems promoting local governance and infrastructure, fostering stability through adaptation. Strategic depth Military pressure and isolation have pushed Iran to invest heavily in building a network of regional partnerships and developing potent asymmetric capabilities. This strategy creates deterrence and extends influence far beyond its borders at a relatively low cost. Iran's advanced drone and missile technology, starkly demonstrated in operations like the April 2024 strike involving over 300 projectiles, showcases a capacity that complicates any direct military confrontation. Sanctions have demonstrably failed to halt the advancement or proliferation of these capabilities. Historically, the Safavid Empire (1501-1736) faced similar encirclement by powerful Ottoman and Mughal rivals. They survived and thrived by leveraging strategic alliances, fortifying key positions and innovating militarily, ultimately defining Persian culture as a unifying force against external pressures. The cement of cohesion External pressure often acts as a powerful unifying force in Iran, strengthening nationalist sentiment and rallying diverse populations against a perceived common aggressor. Sanctions are consistently framed domestically as an attack on the nation itself, not merely the government. While significant internal social and economic discontent exists, overt external threats consistently trigger a rallying effect. The massive national outpouring of grief and unity following the series assassinations of generals, ministers and the former president, with millions filling the streets, exemplified this dynamic. Continued pressure reinforces a deep-seated narrative of Iran as a besieged civilisation standing firm, a legacy stretching back to symbols like the defiant stand at the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC) and the national mobilisation during the gruelling Iran-Iraq War. Costs and challenges This trajectory is not without severe costs or contradictions. Iran's regional interventions, while enhancing its leverage in some arenas, have also incurred disastrous consequences. Actions perceived as overreach or sectarian have demonstrably harmed Iran's standing among significant segments of the Muslim and Arab world, creating resentment and fuelling regional instability. In Syria alone, half a million lives were lost and fifteen million people became refugees. This damage to its broader Islamic and Arab reputation is a serious strategic liability that cannot be ignored. Furthermore, brain drain and sanctions inflict deep suffering on ordinary Iranians, and the focus on security can come at the expense of domestic freedoms and development. Strength through resilience Despite these significant challenges, Iran demonstrates a system adapting and hardening under pressure. It is building a more diverse economic base out of necessity, maintaining formidable asymmetric deterrence and harnessing a potent narrative of national resistance deeply connected to its historical identity. Like the mythical Phoenix rising from ashes, Iran draws strength from adversity. Its ancient civilisation has weathered invasions, empires and revolutions. The current pressures, while intense, are forging a nation that is increasingly self-reliant, strategically embedded through complex networks and often internally galvanised against external foes. To assume this pressure will break Iran is to misunderstand its deep historical roots and its proven, pragmatic resilience. The outcome is more likely to be a nation tempered, adapted, and ultimately, stronger.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Of opium, fire temples, and sarees: A peek into the world of India's dwindling Parsis
Tucked away in a lane in the southern end of India's financial capital, Mumbai, is a museum dedicated to the followers of one of the world's oldest religions, Zoroastrianism. The Framji Dadabhoy Alpaiwalla Museum documents the history and legacy of the ancient Parsi community - a small ethnic group that's fast dwindling and resides largely in India. Now estimated at just 50,000 to 60,000, the Parsis are believed to be descendants of Persians who fled religious persecution by Islamic rulers centuries ago. Despite their significant contributions to India's economic and cultural fabric, much about the Parsi community remains little known to the mainstream population and the wider world. "The newly-renovated museum hopes to shake off some of this obscurity by inviting people to explore the history, culture and traditions of the Parsi community through the rare historical artefacts on display," says Kerman Fatakia, curator of the museum. Some of these include cuneiform bricks, terracotta pots, coins and other objects sourced from places like Babylon, Mesopotamia, Susa and Iran and are dated to 4000-5000 BCE. These are places where Zoroastrian Iranian kings once ruled, like the Achaemenian, Parthian and Sasanian dynasties. There are also artefacts from Yazd, a city in central Iran which was once a barren desert and the place where many Zoroastrians settled after fleeing other regions of Iran after the Arab invasion in 7th Century BCE. One of the notable artefacts on display is a replica of a clay cylinder of Cyrus the Great, a Persian king who was the founder of the Achaemenid empire. Fatakia says the clay cylinder - also known as the "Edict of Cyrus" or the "Cyrus Cylinder" - is one of the most important discoveries of the ancient world. Inscribed in cuneiform script, it outlines the rights granted by Cyrus to his subjects in Babylon. Widely seen as the first human rights charter, a replica is also displayed at the United Nations. Then there are maps that trace the migration routes of thousands of Iranian Zoroastrians who fled their home country fearing persecution and travelled to India in the 8th to10th centuries, and again in the 19th century. The collection also features furniture, manuscripts, paintings, and portraits of prominent Parsis - among them Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, founder of the iconic Tata Group, which owns brands like Jaguar Land Rover and Tetley tea. Another striking section showcases artefacts collected by Parsis who grew wealthy in the early 19th century trading tea, silk, cotton - and notably, opium - with China. The exhibits include traditional Parsi sarees influenced by designs from China, France, and other regions shaped by these global trade ties. Two of the museum's most compelling exhibits are replicas of a Tower of Silence and a Parsi fire temple. The Tower of Silence, or dakhma, is where Parsis leave their dead to be returned to nature - neither buried nor cremated. "The replica shows exactly what happens to the body once it's placed there," says Fatakia, noting that entry to actual towers is restricted to a select few. The life-size replica of the fire temple is equally fascinating, offering a rare glimpse into a sacred space typically off-limits to non-Parsis. Modelled on a prominent Mumbai temple, it features sacred motifs inspired by ancient Persian architecture in Iran. The Alpaiwala Museum, originally founded in 1952 in what was then Bombay, is one of the city's older institutions. Recently renovated, it now features modern displays with well-captioned exhibits in glass cases. Every visitor is offered a guided tour. "It's a small museum but it is packed with history," Fatakia says. "And it's a great place for not just the residents of Mumbai or India to learn more about the Parsi community but for people from all over the world."
