The Resurgence of the Lion and Sun in Iran’s Identity Debate
Recent remarks by Ali Akbar Salehi have reignited a longstanding debate over the historical Lion and Sun emblem, a symbol that appeared on Iran's national flag for centuries that has now re-emerged.
Recent remarks by Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Iranology Foundation and former Iranian Foreign Minister and head of the Iran Atomic Energy Organization, have reignited a longstanding and politically sensitive debate over the historical Lion and Sun emblem, a symbol that appeared on Iran’s national flag for centuries and has now re-emerged in public discourse amid renewed attention to national identity.
In recent years, particularly during anti-government protests, the Lion and Sun flag has reappeared in demonstrations both inside and outside Iran, particularly by those who want to return the exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi to leadership in Iran. Moreover, in the wake of nationwide demonstration’s, Pahlavi’s encouragement of Iranians to rise up and the subsequent government crackdown that killed thousands, Pahlavi has begun to phrase the current historical moment as part of a “Lion and Sun Revolution.” Despite this framing, there has been little evidence of mobilization in the wake of the crackdown, even as anger toward the Iranian government for its brutality is still felt by many.
In his speech, Salehi emphasized that “we must not allow our national identity to be unknowingly erased,” and declared that the Lion and Sun “belongs to the Islamic Republic and its philosophy derives from religion.” He described the emblem as rooted in Iran’s “Iranian-Islamic identity,” and asserted that although it belongs to the Islamic Republic, “others are using it.” He further claimed that several countries had attempted to adopt the symbol, but Iran, as its spiritual owner, opposed such efforts. These remarks quickly turned the Lion and Sun into a trending and widely debated topic on social media.
The renewed attention to the symbol comes in the context of recent national crises, including the 12-day war and the January protests and crackdown, whose repercussions extended beyond Iran’s borders. In the aftermath of these events, there have been visible signs of a renewed emphasis on national identity and historical symbolism in public discourse. Themes that were previously less prominent in official narratives—particularly references to pre-revolutionary or broader civilizational identity—have resurfaced.
In this broader environment, Salehi’s comments appear not merely historical but political, reflecting an effort to reconcile national and religious identity under the framework of the Islamic Republic. This discourse seeks to present the Lion and Sun not as a monarchist relic but as a shared symbol capable of uniting Iranian and Islamic elements of identity.
Historically, the Lion and Sun predates the modern Iranian state and cannot be confined to one dynasty. While it became firmly embedded in state iconography during the Safavid era—particularly under Shah Abbas I—its deeper roots extend to ancient Iranian symbolism. Lions and solar imagery appear in Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sasanian art, often associated with royal authority and divine legitimacy.
The combined Lion and Sun motif appeared on coins as early as the 13th century and evolved under successive dynasties. By the Safavid period, the lion came to be associated with Imam Ali, known as “Asadollah al-Ghalib” (the Victorious Lion of God), while the sun symbolized sovereignty and divine radiance. Historian Abbas Amanat has described the emblem as embodying the fusion of religious and political authority during that era. Under the Qajar dynasty, the addition of a sword identified with Zulfiqar - the blade wielded by the first Shia imam Ali ibn Abi Talib - further strengthened the religious interpretation. During the Constitutional Revolution, the green, white, and red tricolor flag bearing the Lion and Sun was codified as Iran’s official flag.
Following the 1979 revolution, the new leadership pursued symbolic rupture with the monarchy. In 1980, Ruhollah Khomeini ordered the removal of the Lion and Sun from the national flag, describing it as a monarchical emblem. It was replaced by the stylized “Allah” emblem, which remains on the flag today under Article 18 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic. Despite its removal from official use, the Lion and Sun has retained historical resonance. For some, it became associated with the Pahlavi monarchy; for others, it represented a deeper national continuity that transcends any single regime. Although Iran replaced the symbol domestically, the Red Lion and Sun remains formally recognized as a humanitarian symbol under the Geneva Conventions alongside the Red Cross, Red Crescent, and Red Crystal, even though Iran now uses the Red Crescent.
As a result, for some segments of society, the old flag functions as a symbol of national identity oppositional to and distinct from the current political order. At the same time, reformist figures in previous years sought to reinterpret the symbol as non-monarchical, arguing that only the crown element was specifically royal.
Salehi’s recent remarks therefore represent a renewed effort to reclaim and reinterpret the Lion and Sun within the ideological framework of the Islamic Republic. By asserting that it belongs to the Islamic Republic and carries religious meaning, he attempts to reposition the symbol as a bridge between Iran’s historical heritage and its Islamic identity.
The resurgence of debate over the Lion and Sun highlights a deeper and ongoing question within Iranian society: how national identity, religious identity, and political legitimacy intersect in times of crisis. The emblem’s layered history—royal, religious, and cultural—ensures that its meaning remains contested, and its reappearance in public discourse underscores the enduring power of symbols in shaping collective identity.