Let Iran’s Historic Lion and Sun Flag Represent Iran Again
The Issue
For generations, Iran was represented by one of the most recognizable symbols in its long history: the Lion and Sun flag.
This emblem was not created by a modern political movement or a temporary government. It evolved over centuries and became deeply connected to Iranian culture, identity, and national history.
The image of the lion and the rising sun appeared in Persian art, literature, and royal iconography long before the modern nation-state era. By the time of the Safavid dynasty, the symbol had already become widely associated with Iranian sovereignty. Later, during the Qajar period, it was formally adopted as the national emblem and flag of Iran.
For more than a century, the Lion and Sun flag represented Iran in diplomacy, international events, and global institutions. It was recognized worldwide as the symbol of the Iranian nation and its ancient civilization.
This changed after the Iranian Revolution in 1979, when the official flag of Iran was altered and the historic Lion and Sun emblem was removed and replaced by a new political symbol.
But while governments and political systems may change, the deeper cultural identity of a nation is shaped over centuries — not decades.
Today, millions of Iranians around the world continue to view the Lion and Sun flag as an important part of their national heritage and historical identity. For many, it represents the Iran that existed long before modern political divisions.
In the digital age, symbols carry powerful meaning. Emojis and digital icons have become a universal visual language used by billions of people every day. They represent countries, cultures, and identities across global platforms.
However, the emoji currently used to represent Iran reflects only the flag introduced after 1979, and does not acknowledge the historic symbol that represented Iran for generations before that time.
For this reason, we respectfully call on the organizations responsible for global emoji standards and digital platforms to reconsider how Iran is represented in the digital world.
We ask the following institutions to recognize the historic Lion and Sun flag and adopt it as the emoji representation of Iran in global digital platforms:
- Unicode Consortium — responsible for the global emoji standard
- Meta Platforms — including Instagram and Facebook
- Apple
- Microsoft
- Samsung
- Telegram
- Discord
Our request is simple:
Let Iran’s Historic Lion and Sun Flag Represent Iran Again
This is not a request driven by modern political debates. It is a call to recognize a symbol that represented Iran for centuries and remains deeply meaningful to many Iranians today.
Iran is one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Its history stretches back thousands of years, and its cultural symbols are part of that legacy.
The Lion and Sun emblem is one of those symbols.
In a world where digital icons shape how cultures are seen and understood, historical identity should not be erased or forgotten.
Restoring the Lion and Sun flag as the emoji representing Iran would acknowledge an important part of Iranian history and allow millions of people to see their cultural heritage reflected in the digital language used across the world.
History should not disappear from the digital world.
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The Issue
For generations, Iran was represented by one of the most recognizable symbols in its long history: the Lion and Sun flag.
This emblem was not created by a modern political movement or a temporary government. It evolved over centuries and became deeply connected to Iranian culture, identity, and national history.
The image of the lion and the rising sun appeared in Persian art, literature, and royal iconography long before the modern nation-state era. By the time of the Safavid dynasty, the symbol had already become widely associated with Iranian sovereignty. Later, during the Qajar period, it was formally adopted as the national emblem and flag of Iran.
For more than a century, the Lion and Sun flag represented Iran in diplomacy, international events, and global institutions. It was recognized worldwide as the symbol of the Iranian nation and its ancient civilization.
This changed after the Iranian Revolution in 1979, when the official flag of Iran was altered and the historic Lion and Sun emblem was removed and replaced by a new political symbol.
But while governments and political systems may change, the deeper cultural identity of a nation is shaped over centuries — not decades.
Today, millions of Iranians around the world continue to view the Lion and Sun flag as an important part of their national heritage and historical identity. For many, it represents the Iran that existed long before modern political divisions.
In the digital age, symbols carry powerful meaning. Emojis and digital icons have become a universal visual language used by billions of people every day. They represent countries, cultures, and identities across global platforms.
However, the emoji currently used to represent Iran reflects only the flag introduced after 1979, and does not acknowledge the historic symbol that represented Iran for generations before that time.
For this reason, we respectfully call on the organizations responsible for global emoji standards and digital platforms to reconsider how Iran is represented in the digital world.
We ask the following institutions to recognize the historic Lion and Sun flag and adopt it as the emoji representation of Iran in global digital platforms:
- Unicode Consortium — responsible for the global emoji standard
- Meta Platforms — including Instagram and Facebook
- Apple
- Microsoft
- Samsung
- Telegram
- Discord
Our request is simple:
Let Iran’s Historic Lion and Sun Flag Represent Iran Again
This is not a request driven by modern political debates. It is a call to recognize a symbol that represented Iran for centuries and remains deeply meaningful to many Iranians today.
Iran is one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Its history stretches back thousands of years, and its cultural symbols are part of that legacy.
The Lion and Sun emblem is one of those symbols.
In a world where digital icons shape how cultures are seen and understood, historical identity should not be erased or forgotten.
Restoring the Lion and Sun flag as the emoji representing Iran would acknowledge an important part of Iranian history and allow millions of people to see their cultural heritage reflected in the digital language used across the world.
History should not disappear from the digital world.
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Petition created on 6 March 2026