Statement by 112 Monarchist Political Prisoners for the National Day of the Lion and Sun Flag

The Lion and Sun — among the oldest and most enduring symbols of Iran’s national identity — recalls the proud history, the long-standing culture, and the civilizational glory of a land that for centuries has been a standard-bearer of knowledge, culture, and freedom. This historic emblem, beyond any political or governmental symbol, is a reflection of the collective memory of the Iranian nation and a manifestation of the bond between valor, light, wisdom, justice, and hope across the centuries of this land’s history.

The naming of the National Day of the Lion and Sun Flag, coinciding with the eternal remembrance of the late Majidreza Rahnavard, is a precious occasion to honor our national heritage and to recall the heavy price that the children of Iran have paid for freedom, human dignity, and the preservation of their national identity. This day is not only the commemoration of a historic symbol, but also a tribute to all those who gave their lives on the path of Iran and freedom, who through their sacrifice have made their names eternal in the historical memory of the nation.

Iranians believe that the Lion and Sun flag, as one of the most recognized national symbols of the land of Iran, can — beyond any political orientation — be a reminder of national unity, territorial integrity, independence, and the historical continuity of our homeland. This emblem is the shared heritage of generations of Iranians, and to safeguard and honor it is to safeguard a part of the historical and cultural identity of the Iranian nation.

On this national day, while honoring the memory and name of Majidreza Rahnavard and all those who gave their lives on the path of Iran’s freedom, we emphasize the necessity of national solidarity, adherence to Iranian values, and striving for a free, prosperous, and proud future. We hope that the people of Iran, inspired by the lofty meanings embodied in the Lion and Sun, will step forward on the path of rebuilding, progress, and the glory of the homeland under the leadership of Prince Reza Pahlavi, and will keep this precious heritage alive and enduring for future generations.

We, the monarchist political activists and prisoners, while commemorating this auspicious day and the memory of all the eternal defenders of the homeland, and likewise expressing our appreciation and thanks to all the people’s media and to Iranians abroad who have always and ever been the voice of the people of Iran and the voice of political prisoners, ask you, dear compatriots — free of any ethnic or linguistic difference — to raise the tricolor flag bearing the Lion and Sun emblem throughout Iran and the world, and especially at the FIFA World Cup, in a display of national unity and solidarity and in commitment to the principle of preserving territorial integrity, which is the demand of all of us Iranians and has likewise been repeatedly emphasized by the Shahryar of Iran, Prince Reza Pahlavi, and the nation-building, Iran-loving Pahlavi dynasty. Celebrate and honor this day more gloriously than every year, so that the world may know that our nation is brave, discerning, noble, and civilized.

In closing, it is a matter of deep sorrow that in the disgraceful uprising of 1357 (1979) — through the alliance of the red and black reaction, and in the grim shadow of the silence and negligence of the silent majority — our Iran became the playground of demons and fell under the occupation of Iran-hating sedition-makers; otherwise, our nation has never had — and does not have — any relation or kinship with the occupying regime of the Islamic Republic, and it will continue its struggle until the overthrow of this corrupt regime.

May the National Day of the Lion and Sun Flag be blessed and auspicious for all patriotic Iranians.

Javid Shah
Payandeh Iran

A group of monarchist political activists and prisoners

Khordad 2585, Shahanshahi

(The list of names is held in our safekeeping.)