Modern Iranian Flag History

Until recently, there has never been any leading variant or design of the Iranian Lion and Sun flag.

From 1972 to 1979, a consistent emblem design was introduced, but it never caught on fully, even within the Iranian government. After the revolution, it fell out of use, and traditional designs regained prominence.^{[a]No documentation of this specific emblem’s introduction or adoption could be found. The earliest known use of this design was in December 1972 (citation coming soon), and the emblem was still present on flags used by some officials until 1979.[1]File:Sadeq Tabatabaei and flag.jpgWikimedia Commons · February or March 1979 · Accessed 14 April 2026 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sadeq_Tabatabaei_and_flag.jpg There is little evidence of civilian use of this design, and following the fall of the government it mostly disappeared from use, while traditional emblems remained in common circulation.}

In 2012, two vectorised versions of the flag emerged on Wikimedia Commons, the file hosting site for Wikipedia. The first is referred to here as the modern design, which would go on to become the most widely used version of the flag and form the basis of IFP standardisation. The second is a more stylised interpretation, referred to by its creator’s name as the Sodacan design.

Modern design

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Wikipedia origins

The modern design appears to originate from a vectorisation of the Lion and Sun emblem created by the user Trajan 117 on 1 June 2012.^{[2]File:National Emblem of Iran (1979–1980).svgTrajan 117. · Wikimedia Commons · 1 June 2012 · Accessed 14 April 2026 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:National_Emblem_of_Iran_(1979–1980).svg} This version is likely based on a simplified rendering of the emblem taken from a traditional Pahlavi-era coat of arms.^{[3]بشقاب یادبود جشن شاهنشاهی ایران در کوشک احمد شاهیNiavaran Cultural Historic Complex · 24 December 2012 · Accessed 14 April 2026 niavaranmu.ir/print/841} Due to the nature of user-generated content, it is difficult to determine whether this is the earliest instance of the design.

The design’s widespread use is largely owed to the user Sodacan, who on 18 November 2012 slightly modified the emblem and applied it across multiple Iranian flag files on Wikimedia Commons, de facto making it the authoritative version of the flag used throughout Wikipedia.^{[4]File:State flag of Iran (1964–1980).svgWikimedia Commons · 18 November 2012 · Accessed 14 April 2026 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:State_flag_of_Iran_(1964–1980).svg} The modern designs for the wreath and crown can be attributed to this user.^{[5]File:Naval flag of Iran 1933-1980.svgSodacan. · Wikimedia Commons · 18 November 2012 · Accessed 14 April 2026 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Naval_flag_of_Iran_1933-1980.svg} Its display on the influential encyclopaedia helped spread it to all corners of the internet and later onto physical flags, with the design continuing to gain traction over the following years.

In July 2025, the user Jooja made minor adjustments to the emblem, modifying elements such as the sword and the rays of the sun.^{[4]File:State flag of Iran (1964–1980).svgWikimedia Commons · 18 November 2012 · Accessed 14 April 2026 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:State_flag_of_Iran_(1964–1980).svg}

Flag standardisation

In January 2026, the Wikipedia user ConflictFan (Ryan Konstantin) created the initial version of a dedicated Wikipedia article on the Lion and Sun flag, using the modern flag throughout as the primary visual reference.^{[6]Lion and Sun flag - WikipediaKonstantin, Ryan; et al. · Wikipedia · 3 January 2026 · Accessed 14 April 2026 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_and_Sun_flag}

On 17 February 2026, the same user carried out a comprehensive update of the flag, reworking most elements of the emblem into a cleaner design and defining fixed proportions and a Pantone-aligned colour scheme, putting an end to inconsistencies in earlier versions.^{[4]File:State flag of Iran (1964–1980).svgWikimedia Commons · 18 November 2012 · Accessed 14 April 2026 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:State_flag_of_Iran_(1964–1980).svg[7]Iran's Lion and Sun flag gets a rework — now on WikipediaKonstantin, Ryan. · Reddit · 20 February 2026 · Accessed 14 April 2026 redd.it/1r9kavv} This work would later go on to form the basis of Iran Flag Project.

Iran Flag Project was launched in April 2026 with the core mission of establishing the updated modern flag as the standardised design for the Iranian flag.

Sodacan design

An alternative contemporaneous design used by some Iranians is the “Sodacan design”, created by the Wikipedia user Sodacan on 17 November 2012.^{[8]File:Lion and Sun Emblem of Persia.svgSodacan. · Wikimedia Commons · 18 November 2012 · Accessed 14 April 2026 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lion_and_Sun_Emblem_of_Persia.svg} It features a more intricate style that contrasts with the simple tricolour, making the overall flag more visually cluttered. It is usually accompanied by the crown and wreath when appearing on flags. An image of this variant can be found here.