Lion and Sun flag

{{Short description|Historical and opposition flag of Iran}} {{About|the historical and opposition flag of Iran|the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the wider history of Iranian flags|Flag of Iran|the emblem itself|Lion and Sun}} {{More citations needed|date=February 2026}} {{Use British English|date=January 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox flag | Name = Iran | Image = Lion and Sun flag.svg | Nickname = Lion and Sun flag{{Efn|{{Langx|fa|پرچم شیر و خورشید|Parcham-e Shir o Khorshid|rtl=yes|engvar=gb}}|name=Farsi flag name}} | Use = 111000 | Symbol = {{FIAV|defacto}} {{FIAV|variant}} | Proportion = 4:7{{cn|date=April 2026}} | Adoption = {{start date and age|df=yes|1907|10|7}} | Relinquished = 1979 (''de facto'')<ref name="Crampton">{{cite book |last1=Crampton |first1=William G. |title=The Complete Guide to Flags |date=1989 |publisher=Gallery Books |location=New York City |isbn=0-8317-1605-3 |edition=1st |page=76 |quote=With the flight of the Shah in 1979, the Lion and Sun were removed from the flags, and a year later the present design was adopted. |url=https://archive.org/details/completeguidetof0000cram |access-date=3 March 2026 |url-access=registration |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> 29 July 1980 (''de jure'') | Design = A horizontal [[tricolour]] of green, white, and red with the golden [[Lion and Sun]] symbol centred on the white band.{{Efn|The above flag design was created in 2012, though it has become the most widely used variant of the flag to date. See [[Lion and Sun flag#Modern representations|Modern representations]] for context and [[Lion and Sun flag#Gallery|Gallery]] for variants.}} | Image2 = Lion and Sun flag (dark).svg | Imagetext2 = Flag with darker colours; believed to be closer to the original flags used before 1979 }}

The '''Lion and Sun flag'''{{Efn|name=Farsi flag name}} is a historic [[Iran]]ian [[national flag|national]] and opposition flag consisting of a green–white–red horizontal [[tricolour]] charged with the [[Lion and Sun]] emblem. It served as the [[state flag]] of Iran from 1907 until the [[1979 Islamic Revolution]], after which it was strictly banned.<ref name="britannica">{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Whitney |title=Flag of Iran |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-Iran |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250829041151/https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-Iran |archive-date=2025-08-29 |access-date=2026-01-03 |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|language=en-us}}</ref> Since then, the flag has had no official status but continues to be used as a historical and political symbol, particularly among [[Iranians]] and [[Iranian opposition|opposition movements]]. <ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-01-12 |title=Why Are Iranian Protesters Using the Prerevolution Lion and Sun Flag? {{!}} Meaning, 2026 Protests, & History |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Why-Are-Iranian-Protesters-Using-the-Pre-revolution-Lion-and-Sun-Flag |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260123054655/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Why-Are-Iranian-Protesters-Using-the-Pre-revolution-Lion-and-Sun-Flag |archive-date=23 January 2026 |access-date=2026-02-28 |work=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |language=en-us }}</ref><ref name="nationalgeographic">{{Cite web |last=McKeever |first=Amy |date=2022-11-29 |title=Why Iran's flag is at the center of controversy at the World Cup |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/iran-flag-symbolism-history-meaning-controversy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250905140546/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/iran-flag-symbolism-history-meaning-controversy |archive-date=2025-09-05 |access-date=2026-01-03 |website=[[National Geographic]]|language=en-us}}</ref>

== Flag description ==

=== Lion and Sun emblem === The emblem consists of a male [[Asiatic lion|lion]] in front of a rising sun, coloured in gold and centred on the white band. Its appearance has varied over time: in some versions, the lion holds a [[Shamshir|sword]], while in others it stands unarmed, with all four paws on the ground. The sun is nowadays depicted as a simple disc with rays, though earlier designs often included a face. Some versions include a [[Compartment (heraldry)|thin horizontal base]] beneath the lion. A [[Pahlavi Crown|crown]] was sometimes displayed above the emblem on the national flag, while the [[war flag]] and [[naval ensign]] additionally featured a surrounding [[wreath]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-01-12 |title=Why Are Iranian Protesters Using the Prerevolution Lion and Sun Flag? {{!}} Meaning, 2026 Protests, & History |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Why-Are-Iranian-Protesters-Using-the-Pre-revolution-Lion-and-Sun-Flag |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260123054655/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Why-Are-Iranian-Protesters-Using-the-Pre-revolution-Lion-and-Sun-Flag |archive-date=23 January 2026 |access-date=2026-02-28 |work=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |language=en-us }}</ref>  [[File:Lion and Sun flag (construction sheet).svg|thumb|Construction sheet for the modern design of the Lion and Sun flag|300x300px]]

=== Colour scheme === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! ! style="background:#319B42; width:200px" | Green ! style="background:#FFFFFF; width:200px" | White ! style="background:#DA291C; width:200px" | Red ! style="background:#FFB81C; width:200px" | Gold |- | style="text-align:right" |[[Pantone#Pantone Color Matching System|'''Pantone''']] | <code>7739 C</code>|| <code>White</code>|| <code>485 C</code>|| <code>1235 C</code> |- | style="text-align:right" | '''[[Web colours#Hex triplet|Hex]]''' | <code>#319B42</code> || <code>#FFFFFF</code> || <code>#DA291C</code> || <code>#FFB81C</code> |- | style="text-align:right" | '''[[RGB color model|RGB]]''' | <code>49/155/66</code> || <code>255/255/255</code> || <code>218/41/28</code> || <code>255/184/28</code> |- | style="text-align:right" |'''[[CMYK color model|CMYK]]''' | <code>68/0/57/39</code> || <code>0/0/0/0</code> || <code>0/81/87/15</code> || <code>0/28/89/0</code> |}

== History == {{Main|Flag of Iran#Post-Constitutional Revolution|Lion and Sun#History}}

=== Pre-Islamic origins === [[File:ایزد_بانو_آناهیتا_و_شیر_و_خورشید.jpg|thumb|[[Achaemenid]] seal depicting [[Artaxerxes II]] together with [[Anahita]] in a Lion and Sun motif]] The Lion and Sun is an emblem that is intrinsically Iranian and can be traced back thousands of years, even predating the [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid era]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2009-08-14 |title=The Lion and Sun Motif of Iran: A brief Analysis |url=https://www.kavehfarrokh.com/news/the-lion-and-sun-motif-of-iran-a-brief-analysis/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260102095607/https://www.kavehfarrokh.com/news/the-lion-and-sun-motif-of-iran-a-brief-analysis/ |archive-date=2 January 2026 |access-date=2026-02-11 |work=Dr. Kaveh Farrokh |language=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="achaemenid1" />

During the Achaemenid period, the Lion and Sun motif appeared in several forms.<ref name="achaemenid1">{{cite web |title=The Lion and Sun |url=https://ghorbany.com/inspiration/the-lion-and-sun |website=Ghorbany |access-date=2026-02-28 |language=en-us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523092955/https://ghorbany.com/inspiration/the-lion-and-sun|archive-date=23 May 2025|url-status=live |quote=The oldest evidence for the simultaneous representation of the Lion and the Sun in Iran date to a cylinder of King Sausetar in 1450BC.}}</ref><ref name="achaemenid2">{{cite web |url=https://www.bmitpglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/The-Iranian-Lion-and-Sun-a-symbol-of-identity-and-eternity-FULL.pdf |title=The-Iranian-Lion-and-Sun-a-symbol-of-identity-and-eternity-FULL |website=[[The British Museum]]|date=3 September – 9 December 2015|access-date=2026-03-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260207075356/https://www.bmitpglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/The-Iranian-Lion-and-Sun-a-symbol-of-identity-and-eternity-FULL.pdf|archive-date=2026-02-07|url-status=live|format=PDF}}</ref> One such example is a seal depicting [[Artaxerxes II]] accompanied by [[Anahita]], with the latter riding a lion with a sun symbolising [[Mithra]] appearing behind her.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kavehfarrokh.com/news/the-lion-and-sun-motif-of-iran-a-brief-analysis/ |title=The Lion and Sun Motif of Iran: A Brief Analysis |author=Farrokh|access-date=2026-03-16|website=Dr. Kaveh Farrokh|first=Kaveh|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260301021142/https://www.kavehfarrokh.com/news/the-lion-and-sun-motif-of-iran-a-brief-analysis/|archive-date=2026-03-01|url-status=live|language=en}}</ref><!--Out of scope (this article is about the flag, not the emblem): Lion features on most of the coins issued by the Persian satrap of [[Cilicia]], [[Mazaeus]], ([https://en.numista.com/catalogue/index.php?r=Mazaeus coins on numitsa website]) however, only two of them depict a lion and sun motif.(see [https://en.numista.com/427229 other coin]) [[File:Silver coin of Mazaeus Satrap of Cilicia.jpg|thumb|Silver coin of [[Mazaeus]], satrap of [[Cilicia]], minted in [[Myriandus|Myriandrus]], 361–333 BC (circa).]]

Lion and Sun motif also appears on a coin issued by an uncertain Persian satrap of [[Babylonia]]. (see [https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=299563 coin])-->

=== Safavid and Qajar era === The emblem continued to appear intermittently throughout the centuries until the emblem was adopted during the [[Safavid Iran|Safavid era]] to distinguish the country's national identity from neighbouring powers, such as the [[Ottoman Empire]] with the [[star and crescent]].<ref name="ottoman">{{Cite web |date=2024-03-01 |title=The Meaning Behind The Lion & Sun: A Symbol of Persian Legacy |url=https://thelionandthesun.org/378/the-lion-sun-a-symbol-of-persian-legacy/ |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=The Lion and The Sun Podcast |language=en-us}}</ref>

The Lion and Sun only became a national symbol during the [[Qajar Iran|Qajar era]]. One of the first appearances of the lion holding a sword on a flag was during the [[Russo-Persian War (1804–1813)]]; the sword was added at the recommendation of [[Molla Ahmad Naraqi]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}}

The first instance of the emblem appearing on a tricolour flag is thought to be on an early green–white–red design with thin green and red stripes, designed by [[Amir Kabir]] and used from 1848 to 1852 during the reign of [[Naser al-Din Shah Qajar]]. The first equal-height stripe design is said to have appeared by the late 1880s. These accounts are poorly documented and may be entirely unfounded as they are far less certain than the flag officially adopted in 1907.<ref name="iranpoliticsclub">{{Cite web |last=Farrokh |first=Kaveh |date=2013-07-13 |title=Lion & Sun Emblem of Iran, a Pictorial Historical Analysis – Part 3 |url=https://www.iranpoliticsclub.net/flags/lion-sun3/index.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810150015/https://www.iranpoliticsclub.net/flags/lion-sun3/index.htm |archive-date=2019-08-10 |access-date=2026-01-03 |website=Iran Politics Club}}</ref>

=== Late Qajar and Pahlavi era === {{Multiple image | image1 = %D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B7%D9%81%DB%8C_%DA%A9%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84_%D8%A2%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%B1%DA%A9_%D9%88_%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87_Mustafa_Kemal_Atat%C3%BCrk_and_Reza_Shah.jpg | image2 = ShahanshahiIran2500YearsPasargad2.jpg | alt1 = | alt2 = | caption1 = Illustration of a historic meeting between [[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]] and [[Reza Shah]] in 1934, with the contemporary Iranian flag | caption2 = Numerous Lion and Sun flags hoisted at [[Pasargadae]] during the [[2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire]], 1971 | total_width = 375 }}

The first official version of the Lion and Sun flag was adopted in the wake of the [[Persian Constitutional Revolution|Iranian Constitutional Revolution]] of 1906<ref name="britannica"/> and codified in the [[Persian Constitution of 1906#The supplementary fundamental laws of October 7, 1907|Supplementary Fundamental Laws]] of 7 October 1907 as the state flag of the country. The new banner was described as a tricolour of "green, white, and red, with the emblem of the Lion and the Sun."<ref>{{Cite book |first=Edward G. |last=Browne |year=1910 |orig-date=1907-10-07 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |quote=Art. 5. The official colours of the Persian flag are green, white and red, with the emblem of the Lion and the Sun. |title=The Persian Revolution of 1905-1909/Appendix A: The Bases of the Persian Constitution |section=4. The Supplementary Fundamental Laws of October 7, 1907 |page=373 |url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Persian_Revolution_of_1905-1909/Appendix_A#373 |via=[[Wikisource]]}}</ref> On 4 September 1910, a decree specified the exact details of the emblem, including the size and position of the lion, and the shape of its tail, sword, and sun.<ref name="najmabadi">{{Cite book |last=Najmabadi |first=Afsaneh |title=Women with Mustaches and Men without Beards: Gender and Sexual Anxieties of Iranian Modernity |year=2005 |publisher=[[University of California Press]] |isbn=0-520-24262-9 |pages=86–88 |language=en-us}}</ref> During this period, the colours of the flag were very pale, with the red appearing closer to pink in practice.

Following [[1921 Persian coup d'état|Reza Shah's coup d'état]] and through the [[Pahlavi Iran|Pahlavi era]], the flag underwent several gradual changes. In 1933, the colours of the flag were darkened, and the sun was stripped of its facial features. In 1964, the flag's proportions were altered from 1:3 to 4:7.{{Citation needed|date=January 2026|reason=This statement is currently uncited but appears in Flag of Iran#Post-Constitutional Revolution. A reliable source is needed to back this up.}} In 1972, the government introduced a new flag using a standardised design for the Lion and Sun emblem,<ref>{{cite web |title=Changing the royal birth certificate |url=https://westwood.services/changing-the-royal-birth-certificate/?lang=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260124085407/https://westwood.services/%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B6-%D8%B4%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87-%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87%DB%8C/ |archive-date=2026-01-24 |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=Westwood|language=en}}</ref>{{fv|date=March 2026|reason=It's clear that it exists but we need a source covering the actual act of standardisation}} though it is not clear if it replaced all pre-existing designs, as the style of the emblem continued to vary depending on the manufacturer.

=== Post-Islamic revolution === Following the overthrow of the monarchy in 1979 at the onset of the [[Iranian Revolution|Islamic Revolution]], the [[Interim Government of Iran (1979)|interim government]] began phasing out the Lion and Sun in favour of the plain tricolour.<ref name="Crampton" /> However, after the [[History of the Islamic Republic of Iran#Suppression of opposition|Islamic takeover]] in 1980, the new government outlawed the use of the old flag entirely, justifying the restrictions by claiming that the banner was a symbol of the "oppressive [[Westernising]] monarchy," despite the emblem's traditional [[Shia Islam|Shia]] usage.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Babayan |first=Kathryn |author-link=Kathryn Babayan |title=Mystics, Monarchs, and Messiahs: Cultural Landscapes of Early Modern Iran |publisher=Harvard College |year=2002 |page=491 |isbn=0-932885-28-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WLoUePLTdfgC&q=lion+and+sun&pg=PA491|language=en-us}}</ref><ref name="2026-lion-and-sun-protests">{{Cite news | title=How a flag became a rejection of Iran’s theocratic rule | url=https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601134082 | access-date=2026-02-22 | website=[[Iran International]]|language=en-us|date=2026-01-13|last=Abedi|first=Hooman|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260212122729/https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601134082|archive-date=2026-02-12|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1980, [[Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini]] demanded the "ominous" Lion and Sun be removed from all government offices as an "artefact of the tyrannical regime".<ref>{{cite web |title=Will the Iranian state move to reclaim the 'Lion and Sun' emblem? |url=https://amwaj.media/en/media-monitor/will-the-iranian-state-move-to-reclaim-the-lion-and-sun-emblemnew |website=Amwaj.media |date=2026-02-11 |access-date=2026-01-28 |language=en-us}}</ref>

Recently, some Islamic Republic officials have changed course and attempted to claim the [[Lion and Sun]] as a symbol of Islam in an effort to undermine the ongoing [[2025–2026 Iranian protests]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Parsa |first=Mani |date=2026-02-10 |title=Iranian Regime Seeks To Reclaim Lion And Sun Symbol Embraced By Protesters |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-lion-and-sun-flag/33674127.html |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-11 |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |language=en-us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260211142617/https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-lion-and-sun-flag/33674127.html|archive-date=2026-02-11}}</ref> Despite this, Iranians continue to use it as a symbol of opposition to the ruling government.<ref name="2026-lion-and-sun-protests" /> <gallery mode="packed" heights="100" width="1000" caption="Design evolution over time"> File:Amir Kabir Flag.svg|Supposed tricolour designed by [[Amir Kabir]] between 1848 and 1852, modern reconstruction<ref name="iranpoliticsclub"/> File:Tricolour Flag of Iran (1886).svg|Supposed equal-stripe tricolour reported in 1886, modern reconstruction<ref name="iranpoliticsclub"/> File:State flag of Persia (1907–1933).svg|State flag of Persia (1907–1933), modern reconstruction<ref>{{cite web |title=Qajar dynasty, 1905-1925 |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ir_imp05.html |website=Flags of the World |access-date=16 March 2026 |archive-date=5 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260305164554/https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ir_imp05.html |url-status=live }}</ref> File:State flag of Iran (1933–1964).svg|State flag of Iran (1933–1964), modern reconstruction<ref>{{cite web |title=Pahlavi dynasty, 1925-1964 |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ir_imp25.html |website=Flags of the World |access-date=16 March 2026 |archive-date=7 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260107150438/https://crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ir_imp25.html |url-status=live }}</ref> File:Flag of Iran with Official Lion and Sun emblem stylized 1970s.svg|Historical version using the former standardised Lion and Sun emblem (1972–1980)<ref>{{cite web |title=Changing the royal birth certificate |url=https://westwood.services/changing-the-royal-birth-certificate/?lang=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260124085407/https://westwood.services/%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B6-%D8%B4%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87-%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87%DB%8C/ |archive-date=24 January 2026 |access-date=27 January 2026 |website=Westwood}}</ref> File:State flag of Iran (1964–1980).svg|Standardised modern version used from 2012 onwards </gallery>

== Modern representations == Since its relinquishment, there has been no official government-issued standard defining the modern appearance of the Lion and Sun flag. As a result, modern reproductions of the banner vary in details, including colour shades, proportions, the presence or absence of the [[Monarchism in Iran|crown]], and especially the rendering of the Lion and Sun emblem. In the absence of an official specification, a standardised modern design has come to serve as a ''de facto'' reference model.{{cn|date=April 2026}}{{Efn|The standard modern design refers to the version displayed at the top of this page. For examples of variants, see the [[Lion and Sun flag#Gallery|Gallery]] section.|name=gallery}}

== Contemporary use == Historically, since the Islamic Revolution, the Lion and Sun flag has been associated with [[Monarchism in Iran|monarchist movements]], while some republican and reformist groups preferred the plain tricolour. Over time, the Lion and Sun banner has been adopted more broadly as a symbol of Iranian national identity and opposition to the Islamic Republic rather than exclusively symbolising the pre-1979 monarchy.<ref name="nationalgeographic"/>

Public opinion data suggests the banner's growing recognition and popularity within the country. In a February 2022 survey conducted by ''GAMAAN'' in Iran, ''prior to the outbreak'' of the [[Mahsa Amini protests]], 46% of respondents chose the Lion and Sun flag as their preferred national flag, compared with 30% who chose the current official flag, and 19% who preferred the plain tricolour without symbols.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maleki |first=Ammar |date=March 2022 |title=IRANIANS' ATTITUDES TOWARD POLITICAL SYSTEMS: A 2022 SURVEY REPORT |url=https://gamaan.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/GAMAAN-Political-Systems-Survey-2022-English-Final.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251118150429/https://gamaan.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/GAMAAN-Political-Systems-Survey-2022-English-Final.pdf |archive-date=18 November 2025 |archive-format=PDF |access-date=2 January 2026 |website=The Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in IRAN (GAMAAN) |page=14}}</ref>

=== Use in protests === {{Multiple image | image1 = Protester replaces regime flag on Iranian embassy in London with pre-revolution national flag (cropped).png | caption1 = Protestor tears down the Islamic Republic flag at [[Embassy of Iran, London|its embassy in London]] and holds up the Lion and Sun flag, 10 January 2026 | image2 = Massive Iranian flag in Munich, 2026 demonstrations.jpg | caption2 = A massive Lion and Sun flag being raised in [[Munich]] as part of the [[2026 Iranian diaspora protests#Global day of action|Global day of action for the Iranian people]], organised by [[Reza Pahlavi]] on 14 February 2026. }}

The flag is regularly seen at international rallies across [[North America]] and [[Europe]], where members of the Iranian diaspora wave it to show solidarity with protest movements in Iran.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vaux-Montagny |first=Nicolas |date=2023-01-08 |title=Marches in Europe support Iran protests, assail government |url=https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-and-demonstrations-lyon-government-europe-fbb04874d6e3207224b17778e47c94ec |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231127153035/https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-and-demonstrations-lyon-government-europe-fbb04874d6e3207224b17778e47c94ec |archive-date=2023-11-27 |access-date=2026-01-03 |website=[[AP News]] |language=en}}</ref> It has been particularly prominent during demonstrations in major Western cities such as [[London]], [[Berlin]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/thousands-protest-berlin-solidarity-with-iranian-uprisings-2026-02-07/ |title=Thousands protest in Berlin in solidarity with Iranian uprisings |website=Reuters |date=2026-02-07 |access-date=2026-03-26}}</ref> [[Paris]], [[Munich]], [[Toronto]], and [[Los Angeles]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}}

==== 2025–2026 protests ==== Domestically, the Lion and Sun flag re-emerged during the [[2025–2026 Iranian protests|2025–2026 protests in Iran]], with demonstrators publicly waving the flag<ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-01-09 |title=Iran's pre-revolution flag displayed in Tehran protests |url=https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601094156 |access-date=10 January 2026 |website=[[Iran International]] |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260216172310/https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601094156|archive-date=2026-02-16|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-01-04 |title=Video shows monarchist flag displayed during Ramsar protest |url=https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601040994 |access-date=2026-01-05 |website=[[Iran International]] |language=en}}</ref> and, in some cases, tearing down and burning official Islamic Republic flags.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 January 2026 |title=Protesters pull down Islamic Republic flag in Tehran |url=https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601036621 |access-date=4 January 2026 |website=[[Iran International]] |language=en}}</ref>

In solidarity with the uprising in Iran, protesters tore down the Islamic flag at the [[Embassy of Iran, London|Islamic Republic's embassy in London]] and replaced it with the Lion and Sun flag.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sawer |first=Patrick |last2=Williams |first2=Eric |date=2026-01-10 |title=Protester tears down Iranian regime flag from London embassy |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/10/protester-tears-down-iranian-regime-flag-london-embassy/ |access-date=2026-01-10 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> On 14 February 2026, a massive {{Convert|50|m|ft|adj=on}} version of the flag was raised in [[Munich]] during the [[2026 Iranian diaspora protests|"Global Day of Action" diaspora protests]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-02-14 |title=Large Lion and Sun flag raised at Munich rally |url=https://www.iranintl.com/en/202602147655 |url-status= |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=[[Iran International]] |language=en}}</ref> The Lion and Sun flag is used as a symbol of [[Secularism in Iran|secularism]] and freedom, in defiance of theocratic rule.<ref name="secular1">{{Cite web |url=https://www.chosun.com/english/world-en/2026/01/12/ZGAJ2IDOE5GA5IABRSYTSDCK6U/ |title=Old National Flag with Lion and Sun Emerges as Symbol of Resistance |date=2026-01-13}}</ref> On 19 May 2026, it was reported that [[FIFA]] would again [[List of 2026 FIFA World Cup controversies#Protests and massacres in Iran|ban]] the Iranian Lion and Sun flag from [[2026 FIFA World Cup]] stadiums, [[List of 2022 FIFA World Cup controversies#Iranian protests|similar to previous World Cups]].<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7288376/2026/05/19/world-cup-fifa-iran-flag/</ref><ref>https://www.iranintl.com/en/202605195257</ref>

== Gallery == <gallery widths="149" heights="100" caption="Flag in different aspect ratios">  File:Lion and Sun flag (3-5).svg|3:5 ratio File:Lion and Sun flag (1-2).svg|1:2 ratio File:Lion and Sun flag (1-1).svg|Square File:Lion and Sun flag (circle, alternate ratio).svg|Circle File:Lion and Sun flag (emoji).svg|Flag emoji </gallery><gallery widths="179" heights="103" mode="nolines" caption="Alternate designs"> File:Lion and Sun flag (historical).svg|Modern reconstruction using proportions seen in the [[2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire|1973 Persian Empire celebration]] File:Naval flag of Iran 1933-1980.svg|Modern design with the full wreath and crown File:Flag of Iran before 1979 Revolution.svg|Modern design with the crown and without the platform File:Naval flag of Iran standard.svg|Traditional digital design with the crowned wreath File:Flag of iran standard.svg|Traditional digital design File:Lion and Sun Tricolor Flag 2.svg|Traditional variant of the Lion and Sun flag used prior to the revolution File:Modern recreation of the Iranian Lion and Sun flag.jpg|Variant that has also been widely used in protests File:State Flag of the Imperial state of Iran.png|Another variant used by numerous protesters; this design is the one used in the 50-metre Munich flag </gallery><gallery widths="196" caption="Flag being waved in protests"> File:Iranian flags with sun and lion.jpg|Protest for the regularisation of [[sans papiers]] immigrants in [[Brussels]] on 17 June 2007 File:Lion and Sun flag during Iranian green movement Demonstration (3653381220).jpg|[[Iranian Green Movement|Green Movement]] solidarity protest in [[Irvine, California]] on 21 June 2009 File:Man with the lion and sun umbrella.jpg|alt=|[[Iranian diaspora|Diaspora member]] holding a Lion and Sun flag [[umbrella]] in [[Amsterdam]], 25 July 2009 File:Iran solidarity demonstration Berlin 2022-10-22 81.jpg|"[[Woman, Life, Freedom movement|Woman, Life, Freedom]]" solidarity protest at the [[Tiergarten (park)|Tiergarten]] in [[Berlin]], 22 October 2022 File:Lion and Sun Flag of Iran.jpg|Flag flown at a [[Woman, Life, Freedom movement|Woman Life Freedom]] solidarity protest in [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria, BC]] on 19 November 2022 File:Iran freedom protest in Trafalgar Square - geograph.org.uk - 7445625.jpg|Various flags shown during a protest at [[Trafalgar Square]], [[London]] on 1 April 2023 File:NCRI demonstration in Berlin 2024 - 001.jpg|Another flag-waving demonstration in [[Berlin]] on 11 September 2024 File:Perth-iran-rally-Jan10-1.jpg|Solidarity rally against the Islamic regime in [[Perth, Australia]] on 10 January 2026 File:2026.01.11 Free Iran Demonstration, Washington, DC USA 01156 07415 (55036380475).jpg|Rally held in [[Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C.|Lafayette Square]], [[Washington, D.C.]] on 11 January 2026 File:Iran protest in Gothenburg 2026-01-17 07.jpg|Anti-Islamic Republic protest in [[Gothenburg|Gothenburg, Sweden]], 17 January 2026 File:2026-01-17 San Jose Iran solidarity protest.jpg|Solidarity rally against the Islamic regime in [[San Jose, California|San José]], 17 January 2026 </gallery><gallery widths="196" caption="Flag being used by public figures/in public events"> File:Motorcade during Nixon's Trip to Tehran, 1972.jpg|[[Motorcade]] carrying [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Richard Nixon]] during his trip to [[Tehran]] on 30 May 1972, with large Iranian and [[Flag of the United States|U.S. flags]] in the background File:Mohammad Reza Pahlavi - Iran flag.jpg|[[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]] speaking with Iranian military officials, flag visible in background, 1972 File:Sadeq Tabatabaei and flag.jpg|[[Ruhollah Khomeini|Khomeini]] spokesperson [[Sadeq Tabatabaei|Sadegh Tabatabaei]] at a post-revolution press conference with the 1972 version of the flag behind him, March 1979 File:Crpcairo.jpg|[[Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran|Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi]] being sworn in with the flag behind him at the [[Koubbeh Palace]] in [[Cairo]], 31 October 1980 </gallery>

==See also== *[[Flag of Iran]] *[[Lion and Sun]] *[[Lion and Sun Flag Anthem]] *[[List of Iranian flags]] *[[Derafsh]] *[[Derafsh Shahdad]] *[[Derafsh Shahbaz]] *[[Derafsh Kaviani]]

=== Other opposition flags === *[[White-red-white flag]], former flag of Belarus and [[Belarusian opposition]] symbol *[[White-blue-white flag]], Russian [[Protests against the Russo-Ukrainian war (2022–present)|anti-war]] and [[Opposition to Vladimir Putin in Russia|opposition]] symbol *[[Flag of South Vietnam]], often used by [[Vietnamese diaspora]] *[[Flag of Venezuela#2006 changes|Flag of Venezuela pre-2006]], used by the [[Venezuelan opposition]] and [[Venezuelan diaspora|diaspora]] *[[Flag of the Second Spanish Republic]], former flag of Spain and [[Republicanism in Spain|Spanish republican]] symbol

== Notes == {{notelist}}

== References == {{Reflist}} {{National symbols of Iran}}{{2025–2026 Iranian protests}} [[Category:Flags introduced in 1907]] [[Category:Flags of Iran]] [[Category:Tricolor flags|Category:Tricolour flags]] [[Category:Historical flags]] [[Category:National symbols of Iran]] [[Category:Culture of Iran]] [[Category:Flags displaying animals]] [[Category:Flags displaying a sun]]