09/25/2025
Dear friends,
The history of Iran is not just 2,500 years old; its roots go back over 12,000 years.
In a time when valuable parts of our country’s heritage are often ignored, overlooked, or even deliberately distorted, we have so far held 13 research sessions as part of the first phase of this project, out of 100 identified historical sites within present-day Iran, to revisit and study Iran’s remarkable history with a scientific, impartial, and meticulous approach. The mission of these sessions is to shed light on the hidden and untold aspects of Iran’s history.
We have been taught that Iranian history began with the Medes, while in reality, Elam ruled 2,661 years before the Medes, and thousands of years earlier, brilliant settlements and civilizations flourished in the Iranian plateau, playing an undeniable role in the development of regional and world civilization. Tepe Ganj Dareh, dating back nearly 12,000 years, provides some of the earliest evidence of goat domestication and rural life. Jiroft and Shahr-e Sukhteh, each over 5,000 years old, represent advanced ancient civilizations in eastern Iran. In Shahdad, a metal flag dating back around 4,500 years was discovered, the oldest known metal flag in the world. Iranian history is far richer than what formal education has taught us.
The tragic experience of Jiroft shows how ignorance can lead to disaster. Irreplaceable and invaluable artifacts that could have revealed new dimensions of Iran’s civilization were sold for mere pennies and remain forever unknown. Another example is Tepe Hessar in Damghan, partially damaged due to a railway line. Such disasters must not happen again. The only way to prevent them is through awareness and public education, so that people themselves become the first guardians of these treasures.
While neighboring countries like Iraq attract ten times more foreign archaeologists, in Iran the contributions of researchers are often underappreciated, and their efforts are not given the recognition they deserve. Yet Iran is more than any other country in the region in need of such dedicated work.
Studying history is not merely recounting the past; it teaches us how our ancestors confronted and overcame the challenges of their time. Their experiences can serve as a guiding light for our future.
This project is challenging, time-consuming, and costly, yet it is entirely nonprofit and without any personal or financial gain. Our sole goal is awareness, education, and the protection of Iran’s cultural heritage.
We need your support to continue this valuable path. Please help by subscribing to our YouTube channel and sharing these programs with others, contributing to the education and protection of Iran’s history and culture.
Dr. Ryan Cyrus
📌 YouTube (past and upcoming programs):
ناگفتههای تاریخ و مباحث ایرانشناسی توسط دکتر بهرام قدیری
