Imam Reza Shrine’s Black Flag: A Symbol of Mourning, Not a Call for War

A viral picture recently took social media by storm, featuring a striking image of the Black Flag raised above the Razavi Shrine in Mashhad, located in Iran’s Khorasan province. However, it’s essential to note that not everything you see on social media is what it seems. Propagandist Jackson Hinkle, shared the viral picture on X with a dramatic caption, “The Black Flag has been raised over Razavi Shrine in Mashhad, Khorasan province, Iran. This is a call for war or vengeance.”

Another X user shared a picture of a black flag on mosque and wrote, For the first time in Iran, the black flag was hoisted at the shrine of Imam Ali Reza(؏) Apart from mourning days And it was never written above Nasr Min Allah wa Fateh Qarib, this is the first time it has been written like this God willing, this will be the last battle of Al-Aqsa.

Another X user named Nuzhat Zehra shared the video of men hoisting the black flag on the mosque and wrote, For The First Time In Iran, A Black Flag Was Hosted At The Shrine Of Imam Ali Raza (as) In Addition To The Days Of Mourning This Is a Sign Of Fierce Revenge And War, God Willing This We’ll Be The Last Battle Of Al Aqsa Nasr From Allah And Victory In Near.

So, is it true that the Black Flag raised over Razavi Shrine in Mashhad, Khorasan province, Iran is a call for war or vengeance by Iran? Let’s Fact Check.

Also Read: Mohammad Zubair’s Attempt to Blame IDF for Al-Ahli Hospital Attack – Full Report Inside!

Fact Check

During our investigation, we first did a reverse image search to unveil the authenticity of the viral image. During this, we came across something shocking. The same picture that had been circulating on social media was also posted on the official Facebook page of The Holy Shrine of Imam Reza on October 18, 2023. The Shrine’s post offered a completely different perspective on the image. According to them, this image didn’t symbolize a call to war or vengeance.

According to the The Holy Shrine of Imam Reza, the pictures show a mourning flag over the dome of Imam Reza’s shrine. Along with this, they wrote, In an unprecedented gesture and by the order of the custodian of Astan Quds Razavi, the black flag has been hoisted above the illuminated and pure Razavi dome, and drum beating will not be played tomorrow. This comes as a response to the barbaric crimes of the usurping Zionist regime, especially the bombardment of the Al-Mu’amdani hospital.

As our investigation continued, we stumbled upon a report from Razavi, shedding even more light on the situation. This report contained yet another announcement concerning the hoisting of the black flag.

Based on a version of the page translated with Google into english, it said, “Following the martyrdom of hundreds of residents of the Gaza Strip in the barbaric crimes of the usurping Zionist regime, the holy shrine of Razavi will take on a mood of mourning.”

Furthermore, In the course of our investigation, we unearthed yet another vital piece of the puzzle. A report from Iran’s AhlulBayt News Agency, dated October 19, 2023, featured the very same viral image that had been circulating on social media.

According to this report, Following the recent waves of the Israeli regime’s crimes against the people of Gaza, especially its attack on a hospital that killed at least 500 people, Imam Reza Shrine hoists black flag to mourn Gaza hospital massacre.

Hence, all these points prove that the black flag hoisted over Razavi Shrine in Mashhad, Khorasan province, Iran, was to mourn the Gaza hospital massacre and not a call for war or vengeance as claimed by many social media users.