Tehran Unveils Monument to Ancient Persian Victory as a Post‑War Message to Modern Foes

Monument in Enghelab Square recalls King Shapur I’s capture of Roman emperor Valerian

Thousands of people gathered in central Tehran on Friday for the unveiling of a multi‑storey statue that links an ancient Persian triumph to contemporary geopolitical tensions. Organisers presented the sculpture of the Sasanian king Shapur I on horseback, towering above the kneeling Roman emperor Valerian — the captive ruler depicted in a third‑century AD Persian relief.

Rising behind Shapur was a combined depiction of an ancient Persian warrior and a modern Iranian soldier, both grasping a single spear. The shields are inscribed with the slogan: "You will kneel before Iran again."

"Such stories have repeatedly occurred through history, and the aggressors to Iran will suffer the same fate," said Fatemeh Roshanbakhsh, 40, at the event.

Officials say the new monument was modelled on a stone relief in southern Iran carved around the time of the historical victory. Student attendee Moein, 21, said he had "studied about it in history books" and that events like this "positively affect people's morale."

Alongside the statue, organisers displayed banners showing slain Iranian military figures, including Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani, killed in a 2020 US strike in Baghdad, and Amirali Hajizadeh, head of the Guards' Aerospace Force, who Iranian officials say died in recent Israeli attacks.

In June, Iran and Israel exchanged unprecedented strikes in a 12‑day confrontation: Iranian officials say more than a thousand people were killed in the Israeli campaign, while Tehran's retaliatory missile and drone strikes on Israel reportedly killed dozens. At the unveiling, some speakers framed the monument as part of a long record of resisting foreign powers.

Large banners also depicted mythic Persian heroes such as Rostam from the Shahnameh, while other displays recalled more recent confrontations, including the 2016 seizure of a US Navy vessel by the IRGC, which Tehran said responded to a territorial violation.

Davood Goodarzi of Tehran Municipality — which organised the event — said the project was designed and executed "following the guidance" of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He added the statue will be placed temporarily in Enghelab Square and later moved to a prominent entrance to Tehran where it will be visible to foreign diplomats and tourists.

The unveiling was accompanied by free public concerts from five Iranian pop singers; attendee Sajad Pezeshkian said he came for "the good vibes... and to listen to the songs."