As Nowruz celebrations unfolded at the start of the new year, a video circulating online from a speech in Neyshabur stirred controversy. The footage suggested that the mausoleum of Khayyam—the renowned Iranian scholar from the 6th century (Hijri)—was set to be demolished soon, with claims that the site would soon be vacated. But how did this issue arise, and what were the reactions?
According to Tasnim News Agency (in a report published on 7 Farvardin 1404, titled “What Was the Controversy Surrounding Khayyam’s Mausoleum in Neyshabur?”), a group of people gathered at the mausoleum during the Sal-gard (New Year’s transition moment), engaging in dance and music. Some of the remarks made during the gathering were deemed offensive by religious groups. Two days later, a number of Neyshaburresidents staged a “protest gathering,” condemning the event as an “act of desecration” because it coincided with the 19th of Ramadan, a religious day of mourning.
Around the same time, a video surfaced claiming that a “court order had been issued to evacuate and demolish Khayyam’s Mausoleum” due to its proximity to the shrine of Imamzadeh Mahrouq. The speaker in the video—allegedly Neyshabur’s Friday prayer leader—stated: “Khayyam Garden originally belongs to the religious endowment of Imamzadeh Mahrouq (PBUH); the entrance must be modified, as the current layout places the shrine in a secondary position” (Eghtesad Online, 7 Farvardin).
Following the video’s release, Gholam-Hossein Mozaffari, governor of Razavi Khorasan Province, denied that the remarks were made by Neyshabur’s Friday prayer leader, clarifying that the speaker was another local cleric (Tabnak News Agency, 6 Farvardin). He further explained: “The issue raised by the speaker relates to an old dispute over the endowment land, which was resolved long ago by installing fences and separating the sites.”
However, Tabnak, in covering the governor’s statement, pointed out: “This speech signals the beginning of a new controversy rather than the resolution of an old one!” and republished the video of the cleric’s remarks in its report.
The dispute over the land housing Khayyam’s Mausoleum seems to go back many years. Mehdi Davandeh, the governor of Neyshabur, addressed the issue, stating: “Decades ago, there was a conflict between the Endowments Organization and the Cultural Heritage Organization regarding the endowment land of the site. However, this matter has long been resolved, as both the Imamzadeh is a revered site and Khayyam is one of the nation’s great figures, and both are valuable” (Eghtesad Online, 7 Farvardin).
These reports and statements prompted additional reactions. According to Tasnim News Agency, Azar Mansouri, a member of the Reformist Front, commented: “Pitting religious symbols against Iran’s national and historical icons is a serious mistake.”
Additionally, a petition on the Karzar website (an independent petition platform) called on the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts to intervene and stop the destruction of Khayyam’s Mausoleum. The letter stressed that the mausoleum is both a nationally recognized heritage site and a tribute to one of Iran’s most celebrated cultural figures. It also noted the mausoleum’s importance as a major tourist attraction in Neyshabur (Karzar website, 6 Farvardin).
The Plot to Steal Nowruz!
Around the same time that discussions were escalating about Khayyam’s Mausoleum and some calls for its destruction, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made startling remarks. He not only referred to Tabriz as the “spiritual geography of the Turkish world” but also called Nowruz the “day of commemoration and celebration for the entire Turkish world” (Tabnak News Agency, 7 Farvardin 1404). Political analysts familiar with global affairs interpret Erdoğan’s statements as part of Turkey’s long-term “Neo-Ottoman” agenda (as noted by Professor Nader Entessar, Chair of the Political Science Department at the University of Alabama, in an interview with Tabnak News Agency).
Experts argue that Turkey’s recent actions are a reflection of Erdoğan’s aggressive stance on Neo-Ottomanism. They believe that Iran’s regional retreats have emboldened Erdoğan to marginalize Iran across various platforms, with cultural tools forming part of this broader strategy. These analysts emphasize that Iran’s policy of downplaying or neglecting its own identity has created an opening for others to appropriate Iran’s ancient heritage. As Entessar stated, “If one tries to reduce the complex Iranian identity to a single element and diminish its other facets, they are effectively devaluing the essence of being Iranian.”
Two Policies Leading to the Same Consequence
When we consider both events together—the call for the destruction of Khayyam’s Mausoleum and the Turkish president’s statements—it becomes clear that both represent threats to Iran’s identity and its ancient heritage. On one hand, we ourselves, through actions we may not approve of, are pushing to dismantle the mausoleum of one of Iran’s most famous figures, whose renown is global. On the other hand, others, perceiving us as indifferent to our national heritage, seek to appropriate one of our most significant cultural symbols (Nowruz) to serve their own expansionist and pan-Turkic ambitions.
In such a scenario, the pressing question is: what should be done? It seems that upholding Iran’s national and cultural values is the key to confronting the foreign efforts to seize our ancient heritage. One of these values is the protection of Iran’s intangible heritage, as exemplified by figures like Khayyam. Therefore, arguing that the mausoleum should be destroyed because a few people danced near it or because the land is an endowment and should be altered is an erroneous argument. Such actions will inevitably harm our culture and identity, emboldening outsiders to make further claims.
