Order of Zolfaghar
{{short description|Iranian military honour}}
{{Infobox order
|title = Order of Zolfaghar
|image = Zulfaqar Medal.svg
|image_size = 200px
|caption = The Star and Ribbon of the Islamic Republic
|image2 = 150px
ribbon of the Islamic Republic
150px
ribbon of Imperial Iran
|image_size2 = 200px
|caption2 =
|awarded_by =
40px
Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces
|type = Chivalric and dynastic order
|motto =
|day =
|eligibility =
|for =
|status =
|head_title = Supreme Leader
|head = Sayyid Ali Khamenei
| head2_title =
| head2 =
|chancellor =
|commander =
|grades = Knight Grand Officer
Knight Officer
Knight
|former_grades =
|date = 1856–1979, 2019–present
|house = House of Pahlavi (formerly)
|religion =
| higher = None (highest)
| lower = Order of Fath
| same =
|ribbon = IRIA Zolfaghar Ribbon
}}
The Order of Zolfaghar ({{langx|fa|نشان ذوالفقار}}, Neshan-e Zolfaghar) is the highest military honour of Iran. It was established in 1856 as the Decoration of the Commander of the Faithful, by Naser al-Din Shah Qajar. In 1925, it was given its current name by Reza Shah. It is the pinnacle of the imperial honours system, limited to the sovereign and those who had performed outstanding acts of patriotism.
History
Founded during the Qajar era in 1856, the Decoration of the Commander of the Faithful was created by Naser al-Din Shah Qajar to commemorate the recapture of Herat. During the Pahlavi era in 1925, Reza Shah made it an exclusively military order and renamed it the Order of Zolfaghar after Zulfiqar, the two-pointed sword of Ali, the son-in-law of prophet Muhammad.
The original Star of the Order comprised an enameled five-pointed star, with an inscription representing Imam Ali on a red boss in the center, mounted over two crossed curved Zolfaghar swords and a sunburst of rays, as seen in the traditional Lion and Sun symbol.
The Star of the Islamic Republic is larger, simpler and more stylised, comprising a golden eight-pointed star within a silver eight-pointed star; stylised inscriptions on the stars provide decoration and contrast.
The Order of Zolfaghar consists of three classes:
- 1st Class: worn with a badge and a sash
- 2nd Class: worn with a collar, as a neck-order
- 3rd Class: worn as a medal.
It was revived in 2019 when Major General Qasem Soleimani received the decoration, the first time it had been awarded since 1979 Iranian revolution.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/433947/General-Soleimani-receives-Iran-s-highest-Medal-of-Honor|title=General Soleimani receives Iran’s highest Medal of Honor|date=March 11, 2019|website=Tehran Times}}
See also
References
External links
- [http://Irancollection.alborzi.com Online Gallery of Orders & Decorations of Pahlavi dynasty]
{{Orders, decorations, and medals of Iran}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zolfaghar, Order Of}}