From Persia to Propaganda: How a Nation Was Hijacked

In cities across the West, flags are being waved that claim to represent Iran—but they don’t. These are not symbols of the Iranian people, but of Hamas or the Islamic regime that  has ruled over them for 45 years. It’s an identity stolen, not shared.

For decades, Iran’s rulers have funneled money to extremist groups like Hamas while Iranian children went hungry and intellectuals were executed for speaking out. And all the while, Palestinian leadership remained silent. Solidarity must not come at the expense of truth.

The Quds Force—named after the Arabic word for Jerusalem—was born not of national interest, but ideological ambition. Iran’s regime promised to fight Jews and deliver Jerusalem to Muslims. This was never about Persian sovereignty—it was about exporting an extremist agenda. Some in the West confuse that ideology with genuine nationalism. They shouldn’t.

The religious roots of this conflict stretch deep. According to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad originally spoke of Jerusalem as Islam’s holiest place. Only after objections from Jewish tribes did the direction of prayer shift toward Mecca. Some Islamic scholars believe Jerusalem, or Al-Quds, still retains sacred significance—one that fuels a claim of spiritual ownership over physical land.

But here’s the truth many avoid: Iran did not become Islamic peacefully. The Persian people resisted for centuries—some regions held out for nearly 200 years before being conquered by Arab armies. The lion-and-sun flag of Iran was replaced not through consent, but bloodshed. That history is why today’s Islamic regime cannot speak for the Iranian soul.

Now, when these foreign flags are flown in London or Paris in the name of Iran, I ask: would President Macron tolerate seeing the French flag replaced by the banner of Hamas? Would that be called solidarity—or surrender?

To many Iranians, this isn’t just politics—it’s identity. It’s painful. Some would rather die than be called Arab because their families were crushed under the weight of that identity being forced upon them.

Even I, as an Anglican, found myself praying for Israeli civilians—not out of politics, but out of heartbreak. Watching the symbols of those who destroyed your nation fly freely in foreign capitals—it’s a reminder that history can be forgotten, but its victims remember.

If you’re waving that flag, ask yourself: do you know what it cost us?

Ref image from BBC World News