We respectfully request the addition of two new emojis—the Royal Iran Flag (pre-1979) and the Lion & Sun emblem—to recognize Persian cultural heritage and serve as a digital memorial, without replacing any existing national symbols.

 
To:
Unicode Consortium, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft

Petition Statement

We respectfully request the addition (not replacement) of two emojis to the Unicode Standard and major platforms:

Royal Iran Flag (pre-1979) — as a historical / heritage flag emoji
Lion & Sun emblem — as a standalone Persian cultural heritage emoji
This request does not seek to alter or replace the existing 🇮🇷 Iran flag emoji.
It is additive only, cultural in nature, and intended to broaden representation for one of the world’s oldest civilizations.

 
Lion & Sun — Persian Cultural Heritage Emoji

The Lion & Sun is one of the most enduring symbols of Persian civilization, with documented use spanning over 2,500 years. Its origins trace back to ancient Persian solar symbolism and astronomy, later appearing across Persian art, manuscripts, architecture, flags, seals, and coinage.

Across centuries—including the Safavid, Afsharid, Qajar, and Pahlavi periods—the Lion & Sun represented:

continuity of Persian civilization
light, strength, and endurance
identity beyond changing governments
Major academic and cultural institutions such as the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, and Encyclopaedia Britannica document the Lion & Sun as a long-standing cultural emblem of Persia/Iran.

We request a standalone Lion & Sun emoji as a heritage symbol, similar in intent to other cultural emojis (e.g., ☯️, ⚜️, 🪷), allowing millions to express Persian identity, history, and remembrance without political affiliation.

 
Royal Iran Flag — Historical Emoji (Pre-1979)

The Royal Iran Flag, featuring the Lion & Sun within the green-white-red tricolor, served as Iran’s national flag for decades prior to 1979. Today, it is widely used in historical, cultural, and memorial contexts, particularly among Iranian communities worldwide.

This request is strictly historical.
It does not seek recognition of any government and does not propose replacing the current 🇮🇷 emoji.

Its purpose is cultural reference, heritage expression, and remembrance.

 
Demonstrated Global Usage — February 14, 2026

On February 14, 2026, a coordinated Global Day of Action brought together Iranians and supporters worldwide. Major international outlets reported exceptionally large demonstrations where the Lion & Sun and Royal Iran flag were prominently displayed.

Verified Participation:
Toronto — ~350,000 participants (police estimates, Associated Press)
Los Angeles — ~350,000 participants (reported by Iran International)
Munich — ~250,000 participants (Associated Press)
Vancouver — ~45,000–50,000 participants (Global News)

Additional large-scale demonstrations were reported in London, Paris, multiple cities across Australia, Turkey, and other regions, covered by BBC, The Guardian, ABC News, and other international outlets.

Based on verified city counts alone, at least 1,000,000 people worldwide participated—demonstrating clear global usage and recognition of these symbols.

 
Voices From Inside Iran

The use of the Lion & Sun and Royal Iran flag is not limited to the diaspora.

International and Persian-language media—including Iran International, BBC Persian, Reuters, and The Guardian—have documented that during recent protests inside Iran, demonstrators have:

displayed Lion & Sun symbols and royal-era flags
chanted slogans such as “Javid Shah” (Long Live the King)
These expressions reflect a reclaiming of historical identity and continuity, voiced under conditions of extreme repression and personal risk.

 
Memorial for Lives Lost

Independent reporting confirms that large-scale protests inside Iran have resulted in thousands of deaths, following repeated violent crackdowns.

Iran International has emphasized that all publicly reported casualty figures are conservative minimums, due to:

internet shutdowns
suppression of independent journalism
intimidation of victims’ families
lack of transparent state reporting
Human-rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and United Nations special rapporteurs have repeatedly stated that confirmed numbers represent a floor, not a ceiling, and that true losses are likely higher.

For many Iranians, the Lion & Sun and Royal Iran flag have become symbols of remembrance, honoring those who gave their lives seeking freedom, dignity, and cultural self-expression.

This petition therefore also serves as a digital memorial.

 
Why Emoji Matter

Emoji are a modern, universal language.
For communities facing censorship, exile, or repression, they become tools of memory, identity, and mourning.

Adding:
a Lion & Sun heritage emoji, and
a Royal Iran historical flag emoji,
would allow millions worldwide to:

memorialize victims
express Persian cultural identity safely
acknowledge a 2,500-year-old civilization
communicate heritage across borders and platforms
This request is additive, non-replacement, and cultural, aligned with Unicode’s mission of global representation.

 
Why This Is Personal to Me

I am Iranian, and my identity is rooted in a civilization that spans more than 2,500 years. The Lion & Sun and the Royal Iran flag are not political symbols to me; they represent history, continuity, and cultural memory. In recent years, many Iranians carried these symbols in the streets despite the danger, and many paid with their lives while demanding dignity and freedom.

For those of us living in exile or the diaspora, we often lack a safe way to express who we are or to mourn those who can no longer speak. Emoji may seem small, but in a censored world they become a language of remembrance. This petition is personal because it is about honoring our fallen, preserving our heritage, and giving Iranians everywhere a peaceful, visible way to remember.

 
Respectful Request

We respectfully ask Unicode and platform providers to review and evaluate the addition of these two emojis in accordance with established cultural and technical guidelines.

 
Closing

For many, these symbols are not about politics, but about memory, heritage, and honoring those who gave their lives for freedom.
Culture deserves expression. History deserves remembrance.

References & Sources

The following reputable media, academic institutions, and human-rights organizations have documented the historical, cultural, and contemporary context referenced in this petition:

Historical & Cultural Sources
Encyclopaedia Britannica — Documentation on Persian symbols, solar iconography, and Iranian national emblems.
British Museum — Safavid, Qajar, and Pahlavi-era artifacts featuring the Lion & Sun symbol.
Metropolitan Museum of Art — Persian manuscripts, banners, and iconography containing Lion & Sun imagery.
Smithsonian Institution — Archival documentation of Persian cultural symbols and historical flags.

Global Demonstrations (February 14, 2026)
Associated Press (AP) — Coverage of large-scale rallies in Toronto and Munich with police-estimated attendance figures.
Iran International — Reporting on demonstrations in Los Angeles and worldwide Iranian diaspora mobilization.
Global News (Canada) — Police-referenced attendance figures for Vancouver demonstrations.
BBC and BBC Persian — International coverage of global solidarity protests and Iranian cultural symbolism.
The Guardian — Reporting on worldwide demonstrations and the resurgence of historical Iranian symbols.
ABC News (Australia) — Coverage of coordinated rallies across Australian cities.
Protests Inside Iran
Iran International — Video documentation and investigative reporting on protests inside Iran, including the display of Lion & Sun symbols and royal-era flags.
BBC Persian — Coverage of protest slogans, symbolism, and cultural expressions under censorship.
Reuters — Reporting on nationwide protests, repression, and limits on independent verification.
The Guardian — Analysis and reporting on protest imagery and historical symbolism inside Iran.

Human Rights & Casualty Reporting
Iran International — Investigations based on medical sources, witness testimony, leaked documents, and family accounts, emphasizing that reported casualty figures are conservative minimums.
Amnesty International — Reports on lethal force used against protesters and restrictions on information flow.
Human Rights Watch — Documentation of state violence, mass arrests, and repression.
United Nations Special Rapporteurs — Statements noting that confirmed casualty figures from Iran are incomplete and systematically underreported due to censorship and intimidation.
 
All figures and references cited in this petition are based on publicly available reporting from reputable international outlets and institutions. Where exact numbers cannot be independently verified due to censorship, sources consistently emphasize that reported figures represent conservative minimum estimates.