Flouting FIFA Rules, Fans Bring Back Pre-Revolutionary Iran Flags
Iran's pre-1979 flag carries the green, white and red tricolour with a yellow lion and sun emblem at its centre.
Despite FIFA's plans to keep them out of World Cup venues, pre-revolutionary Iran flags were visible inside Levi's Stadium during Saturday's group-stage match between Qatar and Switzerland. Several news outlets have reported that supporters were unfurling the flags during the first half, even though FIFA had previously indicated such symbols would fall under its restrictions on political material at the tournament. Under FIFA's guidelines," Any materials, including but not limited to banners, flags, fliers, apparel and other paraphernalia, that are of a political, offensive and/or discriminatory nature, containing wording, symbols or any other attributes aimed at discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or group on account of race, skin colour, ethnicity, national or social origin, gender identity and expression, disability, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, birth, wealth or any other status, sexual orientation or on any other grounds."
For many members of the Iranian diaspora, the older flag became a symbol of opposition to the current regime. It was widely displayed during the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Asian Cup in Qatar and has featured prominently at demonstrations held since the outbreak of the Iran-Israel conflict earlier this year.
Iran's pre-1979 flag carries the green, white and red tricolour with a yellow lion and sun emblem at its centre. Following the Islamic Revolution, the emblem was replaced by the current Islamic symbol and Arabic script was added to the red and green bands, marking the country's transition from a monarchy to an Islamic republic.
Access to the flag had been tightly controlled at previous tournaments. Some supporters were stopped from bringing it into stadiums in Qatar four years ago. FIFA did try to enforce a similar policy across the United States, Mexico and Canada, but the flags have made their way back once again.
Iran's participation in the tournament had itself been clouded by uncertainty after the conflict began in February. Questions over the team's involvement persisted for months before the squad arrived in Tijuana last week. Iran had originally been scheduled to base itself in Arizona for the competition.
The Iranian Team at the World Cup trained in Tijuana on Friday. They will fly to Los Angeles later today and train in Carson, California before facing off Belgium in Los Angeles.
IR Iran