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Known for his storytelling, dedication to social justice, and a tendency to confuse his pen for a sword, Cyrus came of age during the Iranian revolution when his American father, Max, was imprisoned and accused of being a CIA agent. In a historic turn of events, his mother Shahin became the first female lawyer in the Islamic Republic to defend her husband before the revolutionary tribunals. Years later, Cyrus embarked on a quest to uncover the truth about his father’s charges. Had he been a spy? The resulting book, OFF THE RADAR, won the prestigious Chautauqua Prize.
Educated at Haverford, Villanova, and Cornell, Cyrus initially pursued an advertising career on Madison Avenue, working for blue chip clients like Kodak, Chrysler and Chase. The death of his father ignited a newfound interest in the art of remembrance, leading to the publication of Cyrus’s first book, “Farewell, Godspeed: The Greatest Eulogies of Our Time,” and an unexpected role as a speaker on the funeral director circuit. In memory of his father, Cyrus planted an oak tree at Valley Forge.
His journey took a dramatic turn in the West Bank, where Cyrus was struck by the transformative potential of trees. Returning stateside, he launched Treedom For Palestine — a non-profit dedicated to fostering peace in the Holy Land through agricultural activism. By planting sustainable “Freedom Farms” across the West Bank, the organization empowers Palestinian farmers to harness the power of trees for economic justice, food security, gender equality, land rights, and environmental restoration.
Cyrus is currently working on a religious travelogue. In the field or on the page, he seeks out captivating stories with the power to lift our world. Cyrus believes in the transformative potential of planting trees and is committed to nurturing a world where compassion, equality and sustainability are paramount.