Some other photos of 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire

Criticism was voiced in the Western press and by Muslim clerics such as Khomeini and his followers; Khomeini called it the “Devil’s Festival”. The Ministry of the Court placed the cost at $17 million (at that time); Ansari, one of the organizers, puts it at $22 million (at that time). The actual figure is difficult to calculate exactly and is a partisan issue.