Red Flag of Revenge

Red flag, in the Iranian Shia tradition, is a symbolic inscription in Arabic: “یالثارات الحسین”. This flag is most commonly raised on the domes of sacred mosques during periods of intense emotion surrounding justice and vengeance. Traditionally referencing the martyrdom of Imam Husayn in Karbala, this symbol carries the meaning of an “appeal for revenge” by emphasizing that innocent blood has been shed.

This flag is a powerful symbol in Shia belief. It signifies “Blood has been shed unjustly; justice is demanded.” Normally seen during the mourning period of Muharram for Imam Husayn, such flags take on the character of a “warning of war or retaliation” during extraordinary times.

Following the U.S. airstrike in Baghdad on 3 January 2020 that killed Major General Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, a red flag was raised on the dome of the Jamkaran Mosque. This symbolic act was interpreted within the Iranian state narrative as an emphasis on the “inevitability of revenge”.

Following a deadly bombing attack in the city of Kerman in January 2024 that killed numerous civilians, Iranian authorities once again raised the red flag on the dome of the Jamkaran Mosque. This time, the flag replaced mourning flags and was clearly intended as a direct signal of retaliation.

After the assassination of Palestinian politician and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July 2024, the flag of revenge was once again hoisted on the dome of the Jamkaran Mosque. This development heightened expectations that Iranwould respond directly or indirectly toIsrael.

Following the Israeli attack on Türkiyeon 13 June 2025, the red flag was raised for the fourth time on the dome of the Jamkaran Mosque. This act was interpreted by both state officials and Iranian media as a symbol of “determination to respond”.

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