Iran's tricolour was adopted in 1980 after the Islamic Revolution. The phrase 'Allahu Akbar' is repeated 22 times along the borders between the bands.
The design
The Flag of Iran is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 4:7, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses Green, White, Red, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Green | Tends to evoke land, agriculture, hope, Islam or the natural environment. |
| White | White | Commonly represents peace, purity, honesty or snow-capped landscapes. |
| Red | Red | Often signifies courage, sacrifice, revolution or the blood of those who fought for the nation. |
| Source | Official flag law | The country’s own statute or constitutional appendix specifies exact shades and proportions. |
Symbolism & heraldry
Green represents Islam and growth; white peace; red martyrdom. The central emblem combines tulips, crescents and a sword to spell 'Allah' in stylised Arabic.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of Iran — bands, charges, emblems or stars — each carry meaning agreed at the moment of the flag’s adoption. Re-readings happen across generations: a colour or a symbol that began with one meaning often picks up further layers as the country’s history unfolds.
Adoption & history
The current flag was adopted in 1980. Earlier banners flown by Iran reflected the politics of their day; each redesign typically marked a moment of independence, regime change or constitutional reform. The current flag was chosen, debated and codified through the country’s official channels and is now protected by flag law.
Etiquette & protocol
The Flag of Iran should be flown with respect: never allowed to touch the ground, never used as drapery for ceremonies it was not made for, and lowered or removed at sundown unless illuminated. When flown alongside other national flags, it takes precedence on home soil and is hoisted first and lowered last. On days of national mourning, the flag is flown at half-mast in line with directives from the head of state. These conventions are common to most nations and are usually written into the flag’s founding statute.
Specifications
| Field | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Iran | — |
| Continent | Asia | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | IR | 2-letter code |
| ISO alpha-3 | IRN | 3-letter code |
| Adopted | 1980 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 4:7 | height : length |
| Colours | Green, White, Red | — |
| Designer | — | |
| Emoji | 🇮🇷 | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
The 'Allahu Akbar' inscription appears 22 times — eleven on each white-coloured edge — to commemorate the 22nd of Bahman (the date of the 1979 revolution's victory).
