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On Sunday, June 14, Toronto’s Iranian community gathered at Queen’s Park to celebrate National Lion and Sun Day and honour the life of Iranian hero Majidreza Rahnavard.

In June 2024, Reza Pahlavi publicly supported and effectively endorsed the designation of Majidreza Rahnavard’s birthday as National Lion and Sun Day. The annual observance celebrates Iran’s historic Lion and Sun flag, a symbol of Iranian identity that dates back thousands of years and, of course, predates the flag of the Islamic Republic, which was instituted in 1980.

Majidreza Rahnavard carried the Lion & Sun proudly, and was killed by the Islamic Republic for it.

Today, on his birthday, Iranians commemorate Lion & Sun Day to honor him.

They will continue his fight until the Lion & Sun once again flies over a free Iran.🧵 pic.twitter.com/vSqFN9LWy1

— National Union for Democracy in Iran (@NUFDIran) June 16, 2026

Born on June 16, 1999, Rahnavard was just 23 years old when the Islamic regime publicly hanged him on December 12, 2022. He was a proud participant in the nationwide uprising sparked by the brutal murder of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was beaten to death by morality police over an “improper hijab.”

On 16 September 2022, mahsa amini, Iranian women traveled Tehran then those IRGC police arrived to arrest her because of hijab laws (mind you she was covered in hijab) she was severely beaten by "morality police" and by head injury she died. That was what moved Iranian+ pic.twitter.com/9DdJaSaLJs

— Yae (@supilled) June 16, 2026

Rahnavard carried a prominent Lion and Sun tattoo on his forearm. Before his execution, the regime tortured him and burned the symbol from his skin. Even in his final moments, he resisted. Blindfolded and paraded before cameras for propaganda purposes, Rahnavard asked that people not mourn him after his death. Instead, he said they should celebrate and that no Quran should be read at his funeral. His patriotism and rejection of Islam until his death have made him a heroic symbol for freedom-seeking Iranians around the world.

Three years ago, the Islamic Republic executed Majidreza Rahnavard for participating in protests. The interrogator who had read his will beforehand, hoping to discredit him in the eyes of religious Iranians, asked him in front of the camera what he had written in his will.… pic.twitter.com/fyUZiGgojB

— Persian God (@RealPersianGod) February 20, 2026

Speakers and organizers also paid tribute to the two fallen police officers killed this month while investigating the shooting at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto. Nine-year-old Kian Pirfalak, who was shot and killed by regime forces during the 2022 uprising, was also remembered. He would have turned 13 this month.

Today is Kian Pirfalak’s 13th birthday.
He should be here laughing with his family, blowing out candles, and dreaming of galaxies while building robots.

Instead, at just 9 years old, the Islamic Republic shot him dead while he was sitting in the car with his parents and… pic.twitter.com/N0hqA7kC3o

— Neo (@Realneo101) June 11, 2026

One striking symbol displayed at the rally was a bundle of human hair mounted atop a pole. It represented recent reports that Armenian border security seized 26 kilograms of human hair being transported from Iran. A total of 137 kilograms of Iranian hair has been seized since January. Some in the hairstyling industry have also pointed to what they describe as a significant influx of Iranian hair entering international markets.

The islamic regime is selling murdered Iranian women for parts.

Armenia has confiscated massive amounts of undeclared Iranian natural women's hair which was brought across the border.

This illegal trend has been skyrocketing since, wait for it, January.

Almost all the morgue… pic.twitter.com/E67l7jILYB

— 𝐍𝐢𝐨𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐠 🇮🇷 ✡︎ (@NiohBerg) June 11, 2026

Questions continue to surround the fate of many women killed during the uprising. Reports have alleged horrific abuses, including severe sexual violence while in captivity. Observers have also noted that while videos and reports have documented large numbers of slain protesters, female victims often appear absent from publicly available footage. These concerns have fueled speculation regarding the whereabouts of women killed during the massacre.

Armenian customs seized 143 bundles (26 kg) of undeclared Iranian human hair hidden in truck pillows.

A longtime German hair importer reports an explosion and market saturation of Iranian hair.

Another wig maker in LA, with 15 years in the business, confirms a major influx of… pic.twitter.com/N8hePZ0ti8

— Sana Ebrahimi Ledene (@__Injaneb96) June 11, 2026

The rally took place amid growing discussion surrounding a potential deal between U.S. President Donald Trump and the Islamic Republic in Iran. Anything short of the complete end of the Islamic Republic is unacceptable. Iranians’ goal remains unchanged: the restoration of the monarchy in Iran and the return of Shah Reza Pahlavi. Many Iranians still express hope that recent developments may somehow still be one step closer to that outcome.