X has changed the Iran flag emoji shown on its platform, replacing the Islamic Republic’s emblem with the older Lion and Sun symbol on the green, white and red tricolour.The change followed a user request that was approved in Twemoji, the open-source emoji system used by X. Jeremy Bier, an engineer at the company, said Thursday the updated emoji would start appearing on the web version after Friday.The Lion and Sun symbol was used on Iran’s flag for centuries before it was removed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Since then, Iran’s official flag has carried a red emblem introduced by the Islamic Republic. On X, this newer design has now been replaced by the older one.In recent years, the Lion and Sun has been used by some protesters and opposition supporters as a symbol of resistance to Iran’s current leadership.The emoji update comes at a time when protests against the current regime are continuing across Iran. There have also been reports of widespread internet and communication disruptions. Users on social media noticed the change on Friday. The updated flag is now visible even on official X accounts run by Iranian government officials and state-linked media.
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