The pan-Iranian colours are
red,
white, and
green, and sometimes
gold or
yellow. They have been used and continue to be used on the flags and banners of many Iranian countries and regions, including
Iran,
Afghanistan,
Tajikistan, and
Kurdistan. Rooted in an ancient tradition that became prominent in the
Achaemenid Empire,[1] the pan-Iranian colours and the similar patterns in which they are used symbolize the shared origins of the
Iranian peoples.[2][3][4][5]
History
According to the
Avesta, the full free population of ancient Iranian society was divided into three classes, each of which was associated with a certain colour:[6]
Military nobility (
Avestan: raθaē-štar) – represented by red, symbolizing military valour and blood and self-sacrifice in the name of high ideals, so it is considered the most revered and noble;
Mobads (āθravan) – represented by white, symbolizing spirituality, moral purity, cleanliness, and holiness;
Pastoralist-farmer community (vāstrya fšuyant) – represented by green, symbolizing nature, youth, and prosperity.[7]
^Зоолишоева Ш. Ф. Символика цвета в шугнано-рушанской национальной одежде // Языки и этнография «Крыши мира». СПб.: «Петербургское Востоковедение», 2005. — 112 с. — стр. 39 /
ISBN5-85803-304-0
^Гафуров, Б. Г. Таджики. Древнейшая, древняя и средневековая история. p. 31.
^Bahar, Mehrdad (1984). پژوهشی در اساطیر ایران. p. 74.
ISBN964-416-045-2.