WANA (Sep 14) – A social media post by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi featuring an outdated Iranian flag has drawn sharp criticism from Iranian analysts, who describe the diplomatic oversight as an unignorable error.

 

In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter) intended to showcase regional friendship, Albusaidi displayed flags of various neighboring states—including Iraq, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. However, instead of the official flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the post featured the pre-1979 Lion and Sun flag.

 

Critics argue that given the Foreign Minister’s high-ranking diplomatic status, the move cannot be dismissed as a minor technical glitch. The Lion and Sun emblem has long been utilized by opposition and monarchist groups.

 

Media commentators warned that using this symbol in an official capacity risks signaling unintentional political endorsement of opposition factions, potentially being exploited for propaganda purposes.

 

The incident comes at a delicate time, as public perception in Tehran is particularly sensitive to perceived diplomatic slights during ongoing regional tensions with the United States. Commentators noted that Muscat’s long-standing role as a trusted regional mediator relies heavily on maintaining the trust of the Iranian public.

 

Iranian foreign policy observers are urging Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to demand a formal clarification, correction, and apology from Muscat, emphasizing that in international diplomacy, national symbols carry heavy political weight.