Symbolic act amid global protests
An act of symbolic protest took place in Nicosia, where demonstrators hung the historic Lion and Sun flag outside the Embassy of Iran. The incident comes as protests against the Islamic regime in Iran continue to spread internationally, reaching several European countries, including Cyprus.
A video shared on X shows three friends approaching the embassy and attaching the former Iranian flag to the main gate, describing the move as an act of peaceful, symbolic resistance.
Meaning of the Lion and Sun emblem
Before the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iran’s national flag featured the Lion and Sun emblem at its centre. The symbol has centuries of history and was closely associated with the Iranian state.
The lion represented royal authority and state power, while the sun was linked to Persian identity and Iran’s pre-Islamic cultural heritage. Together, the emblem symbolised continuity of the state and national history, without religious connotations.
Post-revolution symbolism
Following the 1979 revolution, the Lion and Sun was replaced with a stylised Islamic emblem. The current symbol incorporates the word “Allah”, four crescents, and a vertical element resembling a sword.
The emblem is explicitly theological and was designed to reflect the ideological framework and doctrine of authority of the Islamic Republic, marking a clear break from Iran’s pre-revolutionary national symbolism.
Also read: Iran warns it will retaliate if US attacks, hundreds killed in protests
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