National symbols of Iran () encompass national emblems, symbols, or distinctive features revered by the Iranian people at a national or international level, recognized as representative of the country.
Historical symbols Faravahar
The Faravahar (), also known as Foruhar or Fārre Kiyâni, is one of the most prominent symbols of Zoroastrianism and Iranian cultural identity. It represents the divine farr (glory or divine grace) in ancient Iranian tradition, particularly associated with the concept of Khvarenah or farr-e shahi (royal glory), a radiant, mystical force bestowed by Ahura Mazda that confers legitimacy, sovereignty, and the capacity for just rule.
Ancient Iranians believed that Ahura Mazda selected the king through this spiritual force, known as khvarenah or farr-e shahi (royal glory), which remained with the ruler only as long as he pleased the deity and upheld righteousness (asha). A king endowed with divine farr was regarded as the manifestation of divine power, mercy, and wrath, serving as the representative of the nation's will. Subjects addressed him as khodâyegân ("lord-like") or "shadow of God," while he viewed himself as an absolute ruler and master of souls. Achaemenid inscriptions consistently emphasize kingship as a divine gift from Ahura Mazda, as seen in statements such as "Ahura Mazda made Darius king; Ahura Mazda granted him a great empire."
The term "khvarenah" is described in sources such as the Dehkhoda Dictionary (under "khoreh") as "light bestowed by God upon creatures, enabling them to lead, practice crafts, and industries." Related terms include "farreh" and "khoreh," with references in works like the Borhan-e Qate'.Dehkhoda Dictionary entry
Faravahar in modern usage, derives from the Avestan term frauuaṣ̌i (fravaṣ̌i), referring to the personal spirit or guardian spirit in Zoroastrianism. Its New Persian form is foruhar or faravahar, evolving through Middle Persian forms such as frawahr or frōhar, and ultimately linked to Old Persian fravarti-. An older pronunciation or variant is noted as "Farahvahar" or "Farahvar."
Over 4,500 years ago, when many peoples of the world engaged in idolatry and viewed human existence as confined to the mortal body, ancient Iranians or Aryans held that humans possessed a soul separate from the physical form. This soul (fravashi) departed after death to another realm to continue its existence. In Zoroastrian tradition, the afterlife abode for souls was sometimes referred to as associated with the stars (akhtaran in some contexts), reflecting beliefs in a celestial continuation of life.
Derafsh Kaviani
The Derafsh Kaviani () was the legendary and historical national standard (vexilloid) of pre-Islamic Iran, notably serving as the official standard of the Sasanian Empire (224–651) and is associated with earlier Iranian dynasties in myth and tradition.
According to Iranian mythology, particularly as recounted in Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, the banner originated during the uprising of Kaveh the Blacksmith against the tyrannical Aži Dahāka (Zahhak). Kaveh raised his leather apron, worn as protection during his work as a blacksmith, on a spear to rally the people in rebellion. After the victory, achieved with the aid of Fereydun, the apron was adorned with jewels, gold, brocade, and tassels in colors such as red, yellow (or blue), and violet (or purple), transforming it into the exalted royal standard. It became known as the Derafsh Kaviani, symbolizing resistance to oppression, national unity, and the divine legitimacy of Iranian kingship. The banner is also linked in some traditions to figures like Jamshid or the Kayanian dynasty.
The Derafsh Kaviani held profound symbolic importance in Iranian warfare, particularly against foreign foes such as the Turanians (Aneran) in epic narratives. Its presence was deemed essential for battle; Iranian forces would go to extraordinary lengths to keep it raised, even "by tooth" if necessary. Enemies recognized its psychological power, viewing it as the embodiment of Iran's strength, capturing or destroying it could demoralize and defeat Iranian armies.
Historical descriptions of its appearance vary across sources. According to al-Tabari's History, it was made from lion skin and later embellished by successive monarchs with gold, silver, jewels, and other ornaments; it was sometimes called "Akhtar-e Kavian" (Star of Kaveh) and displayed primarily in major campaigns or for princes on critical missions. Al-Masudi, in Muruj al-Dhahab, describes it as leopard skin suspended from tall poles. Other Persian lexicographical works, such as the Burhan-e Qate' and Farhang-e Jahangiri, portray it as originating from leopard or tiger hide (or leather used by blacksmiths), initially an apron tied around the waist, which Kaveh affixed to a spear. Scholarly reconstructions, drawing from depictions on Frataraka coins (from Persis, 3rd century BCE), Pompeii-era carvings, and Ferdowsi's descriptions, suggest it was a square or rectangular piece of leather or fabric hung atop a spear (with the spear tip protruding upward), measuring approximately eight by twelve cubits (roughly 4–5 by 6–7.5 meters, depending on the cubit standard).For scholarly reconstructions and dimensions, see: . For the numismatic evidence of the Frataraka coins, see: . It featured a central star (or radiant emblem, sometimes interpreted as a lotus or sun-like motif) with four rays and a small central circle repeated above, adorned with silk, brocade, precious gems, and four colored ribbons (red, yellow, purple, and sometimes blue) hanging below, each tipped with jewels. The background was often described as purple or richly bejeweled, shining brightly even at night.A. Shapur Shahbazi, "DERAFŠ-E KĀVĪĀN", Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. VII, Fasc. 3, pp. 315–316. According to Shahbazi, scholarly reconstructions based on Frataraka coinage and the Alexander Mosaic suggest a square standard adorned with a central star (akhtar) and four tassels of red, yellow, and violet.
In the Sasanian period, the banner represented imperial authority and was carried into major battles, including its capture by Arab forces at the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah (c. 636–637 CE), which contributed to the empire's fall. Some early Islamic sources report its immense value and eventual destruction.
Claims of even greater antiquity appear in certain interpretations of artifacts, such as bowls in the Louvre Museum's ancient Iranian collection depicting what some associate with the Derafsh Kaviani and dated to around 4600 BCE, suggesting possible origins up to 6,600 years ago in legendary terms. Ferdowsi links its prestige to Iran's primordial dynasties, the Pishdadian and Kayanian eras.
The Derafsh Kaviani remains a potent symbol of Iranian heritage, resistance, and national identity in pre-Islamic tradition. Modern reconstructions and artistic depictions often emphasize its jewel-encrusted, star-centered design with hanging tassels.
Lion and Sun
The Lion and Sun (), is one of the most enduring emblems of Iran (historically Persia). It served as a central element in the country's national flag until the 1979 Islamic Revolution, after which it was replaced by the current emblem of the Islamic Republic.
The motif originates primarily from ancient astronomical and astrological traditions, representing the sun positioned in the constellation Leo (the lion) in the zodiac. This secular, zodiacal symbolism traces back to pre-Islamic Persian astronomy and astrology, with roots in Babylonian and Near Eastern traditions. Evidence suggests the combined lion and sun appeared in various forms before the Islamic era, though its widespread use as a distinct motif emerged later.
The lion and sun gained prominence in the Islamic period, appearing frequently on coins, metalwork, tiles, and miniature paintings across Iran, Central Asia, and India from the 12th–13th centuries onward. The earliest documented instance on coinage occurs under Kaykhusraw II (r. 1237–1246), Sultan of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm, where it likely symbolized royal power. It also featured in flags and banners of the Mughal Empire in India.
The symbol's use on Iranian flags is first attested in a miniature painting from 826 AH (1423 CE), illustrating a copy of the Shahnameh-ye Changizi (also known as Šāh-nāma of Shams al-Din Kashani), an epic poem on the Mongol conquests. The painting depicts Mongol (or Mongol-affiliated) horsemen approaching the walled city of Nishapur; one carries a banner bearing a lion passant with a rising sun on its back, topped by a spearhead within a crescent moon and flanked by floating pennons. This represents one of the oldest known depictions of the lion and sun as a banner device in a Timurid-era context.
Under the Safavid dynasty (1501–1736), the lion and sun became a familiar royal and national emblem, appearing on banners, coins, and artworks. During this period, as the Safavids unified Iran and established Twelver Shia Islam as the state religion, the motif acquired additional Shia-Iranian connotations in some interpretations (e.g., the lion sometimes associated with Ali ibn Abi Talib, the "Lion of God"). It served to distinguish Persian identity, particularly in contrast to the Ottoman Empire's crescent moon emblem.
Interpretations of the symbol evolved across dynasties. Initially an astronomical and astrological device used by scholars rather than as a governmental emblem, it later gained royal and religious layers. Under the Qajar dynasty (1789–1925), amid intellectual, social, and nationalist shifts beginning with Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, its explicitly Shia associations diminished, and it increasingly represented broader Iranian heritage and monarchy. It was formalized as part of the national flag during the Persian Constitutional Revolution (adopted officially in 1907 with the green-white-red tricolour) and continued under the Pahlavi dynasty until 1979.
The Lion and Sun remains a potent symbol of Iranian cultural identity, monarchy, and pre-revolutionary heritage, often invoked today by opposition groups and the Iranian diaspora. Its design typically features a lion passant or couchant holding a sword or shamshir (added in later versions), with a radiant sun rising behind it.
Moon and Star symbol
The Moon and Star () (often depicted as a crescent enclosing or accompanied by a star) served as a significant symbol in ancient Iranian royal iconography, particularly during the Sasanian Empire (224–651 CE). It appeared prominently on royal crowns, where it represented attributes such as piety, fertility, renewal, or divine favor associated with the moon god Mah in Zoroastrian tradition.Michael Alram, Nomina Propria Iranica in Nummis, Materialgrundlagen zu den iranischen Personennamen auf Antiken Münzen (1986); C. Augé, "Quelques monnaies d'Elymaïde," Bulletin de la Société Française de Numismatique, November 1976; N. Renaud, "Un nouveau souverain d'Elymaïde," Bulletin de la Société Française de Numismatique, January 1999, pp. 1–5. Coins of Elymais (parthia.com).