Overview
- X rolled out the change after a user request, with product lead Nikita Bier and engineer Jeremy Bier signaling approval through the Twemoji pipeline.
- The Lion-and-Sun icon now renders across the service, appearing even on accounts of Iranian officials and state-linked outlets such as Tasnim News.
- Protests over severe economic distress have spread across all 31 provinces under sweeping internet and phone shutdowns that hinder coordination and coverage.
- Rights groups report at least 62–65 deaths so far and warn the true toll could be higher, with verification constrained by blackout conditions.
- Iran’s leadership has issued hardline warnings as Elon Musk announced free Starlink activation for Iran, though use remains limited by hardware and power needs.