The British Museum after months of prevaricating proceeded with the plans to loan the Cyrus Cylinder to Iran – but already, the hard line newspaper Kayhan is calling for it not to be returned at the end of its loan.

From:
Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies

Hard-line daily Kayhan called for not returning Cyrus Cylinder to Britain
Tuesday, 14 September 2010 14:56
By Golnaz Esfandiari*

LONDON, (CAIS) — Islamic Republic President, Mahmud Ahmadinejad on Sunday attended the unveiling in Tehran of the Cyrus Cylinder, which is on loan from the British Museum. The cylinder dates from the 6th Century BCE and is believed by many to be the first charter of human rights. It will be on public display for four months.

The unveiling took place at a ceremony at Iran’s National Museum that was turned into a platform for Ahmadinejad and his controversial chief of staff Esfandiari Rahim Mashaei to promote their brand of religious nationalism. (Read here for more about the recent attempt by Ahmadinejad to promote new religious nationalism and hard-liners’ reaction to it.)
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