The phrase “Allahu Akbar” appears 22 times on Iran’s flag. It is written 11 times along the lower edge of the green band and 11 times along the upper edge of the red band.
The repeated phrase is the Arabic takbir, meaning “God is greatest.” It is rendered in white Kufic-style script and forms a patterned border between the green and red sections and the central white band. The repetition was included in the flag adopted for the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The number 22 is traditionally linked to 22 Bahman, the date in the Iranian calendar corresponding to 11 February 1979, when the Iranian Revolution reached its victory. This gives the inscription both a religious meaning and a direct connection to the country’s revolutionary history.
Iran’s current flag was adopted in 1980, after the 1979 revolution replaced the earlier Lion and Sun emblem. The central red emblem represents the word Allah and Islamic concepts, while the green, white and red colours have long-standing associations with Iran and its national identity.