Faravahar

The Farāvahār (Avestan: 𐬟𐬀𐬭𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬵𐬀𐬭𐬀; Persian: فَرْوَهَر), also called the Foruhār (فروهر) or the Fārre Kiyâni (فرّ کیانی),[1] is one of the most prominent symbols of Zoroastrianism.

Although it is originally religious in nature, it has become a secular and cultural symbol among non-Zoroastrian Iranian peoples (including Persians, Kurds and Tajiks), having been popularized in this capacity after the Muslim conquest of Persia and the subsequent fall of Sasanian Empire.

[4][5] More recently, the Faravahar and other aspects of the Zoroastrian religion were at the forefront of a campaign by the Pahlavi dynasty to revive the pre-Islamic Iranian identity.

Its elements are interpreted as follows: The Faravahar embodies moral integrity, spiritual progression, and the concept of choosing good over evil, encouraging individuals to live by the principles of wisdom and virtue.

[19][20] Unvala's work was discredited by Irach Jehangir Sorabji Taraporewala, who refuted the idea that the winged figure represented Ahura Mazda.

Taraporewala suggested that the figures used in Persian reliefs were meant to depict khvarenah or royal glory to reflect the perceived divine empowerment of kings, and, therefore, has no true spiritual meaning.

After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the Lion and Sun, which was part of Iran's original national flag, was banned by the government from public places.

[26] The winged disc has a long history in the art, religion, and culture of the ancient Near and Middle East, being about 4000 years old in usage and noted as also symbolizing Ashur, Shamash, and other deities.