Why Are Iranian Protesters Using the Prerevolution Lion and Sun Flag?
By early January 2026 Iran was engulfed in protests that had erupted across all 31 provinces. Largely driven by economic grievances, the protests were a serious challenge to the Islamic Republic. Demonstrations were also held by members of the Iranian diaspora in other countries in solidarity with those in Iran. Images from the protests and demonstrations showed some protesters flying a red-, white-, and green-striped flag with a golden lion and sun in the center. That flag, commonly referred to as the Lion and Sun, or the prerevolution or pre-1979 flag, is being used as a symbol of resistance to the country’s current government.
The Lion and Sun emblem itself has long been associated with Iran. It was displayed on flags as early as the 15th century, and in the late 19th century the colors green and red were added as a border to a white flag bearing those symbols. After the granting of the constitution of 1906, a tricolor typical of the national flags of many other countries was officially recognized for Iran. Its horizontal stripes of green, white, and red were associated, respectively, with the Islamic faith of the country, peace, and valor. Emblazoned in the center of the white stripe was the Lion and Sun; additional symbols (the imperial crown and a wreath) were added for special purposes such as the naval ensign. Throughout subsequent decades, many artistic variations were made to these symbols.
The Pahlavi dynasty is often associated with Iran’s Lion and Sun flag. The dynasty came to power in Iran in 1925, with Reza Shah Pahlavi as the shah (king); he was succeeded by his son Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1941, who ruled until 1979, when a fundamentalist religious movement led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini overthrew him and his government and abolished the monarchy. Iran’s flag was subsequently altered; among the changes was the replacement of the Lion and Sun emblem with a new coat of arms.
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For many years, versions of the Lion and Sun flag have been adopted by Iranian opposition groups and Iranians in the diaspora, though the flag appears to mean different things to various groups. Some may fly the Lion and Sun flag to signal support for a return to Iran’s monarchy, but others embrace it more broadly as a sign of resistance to the current government, without any endorsement of support for the monarchy that ruled Iran until 1979.
