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Al-Ahwaz (Khuzestan) Political Organizations (Iran)

Background on Al-Ahwaz (Khuzestan)
Al Ahwaz Liberation Organization
Erroneous Reports of the ALO Flag
Ahwazi Arabic Revolution

See also:

Background on Al-Ahwaz

Until 1925 the northern side of the Persian Gulf - Al Ahwaz - was under British control with great autonomy. This independence of the Arabian tribes was ended when Persian troops occupied the area. Since then the area has been "Iranized". The Persians first renamed it Arabistan and later Khuzestan. Until 1920 the flag of Al Ahwaz was plain white, and called Baiyoodh ("the white one"), referring to an old legend about a white bird, the seagull. At the end of the First World War several flags used the pan-Arab colors, but Al Ahwaz was annexed by Persia. Around 1920 the white flag was abandoned and the flag now used by the ALO was adopted.
Mark Sensen, 16 August 1998

Al Ahwaz Liberation Organization/Al Ahwaz Revolutionary Council

image by Ivan Sache

In 1946 the El Saadeh party was established in a first attempt to unify the struggle for independence. Since 1990 several Al Ahwaz groups have cooperated in the Al Ahwaz Liberation Organisation (ALO). Chairman Faleh Abdullah al Mansouri fled to the Netherlands in 1989, and now lives in Maastricht. The ALO's flag has proportions 1:2 and consists of three equal horizontal stripes red, white and black. In the center of the white stripe is a green five pointed star in a thin green circle. The red stripe stands for the war of independence, sacrifice and the defence of Al Ahwaz. The white stripe stands for peace, purity and friendship. The black stripe stands for the darkest depths of the deep sea. The star stands for the greatness and glory of the Arabs. The circle represents the people around around Al Ahwaz (the star). [Information from the ALO to the author.]
The flag is forbidden in Iran, but flies at the headquarters of the ALO in Maastricht.
Mark Sensen, 16 August 1998

The flag is shown on the website of the Al Ahwaz Revolutionary Council.
Ivan Sache, 18 December 2003

Erroneous Reports of the ALO Flag

image by Jaume Ollé

This version of the flag [with incorrect ratio--ed.] appears in the Flags of Aspirant Nations chart [eba94], #31, with the caption, "Arabestan, Arabs of Khuzestan, Iran."
Ivan Sache, 13 September 1999

The flag shown on my Flags of Aspirant Peoples chart, called "ARABSTAN - Arabs of Khuzestan (Iran)" - No. 31, was originally found on the chart "Flagi Malo Znane" by Jacek Skorupski from Warsaw, Poland, dated May 1991. This flag is also talked about in Flagmaster [fLm] No. 26, 1 April 1979.
Ralph Bartlett, 5 July 2003

image by Ivan Sache

According to Nations Without States [mnh96], the Arabistani flag is a vertical tricolor of red, white, and black bearing a green star surrounded by a green circle.
Ned Smith, 15 February 2001

I don't consider Nations Without States a serious vexillological source. Most of the flags reported as representing such "nations" have not been found anywhere else except this book or have proven to be erroneous renditions of existing flags.
Ivan Sache, 15 February 2001

In 1974 Vexilla Nostra [vxn] is reported another version with vertical stripes for the People's Front for Liberation of Arabistan, based in Baghdad. According to a representative of the ALO this was based on wrong information.
Mark Sensen, 16 August 1998

Ahwazi Arabic Revolution

image by Ivan Sache

This flag was reported as related to Al-Ahwaz region, but is not linked with ALO.
Ivan Sache, 7 July 2003

As is the case with other regions, one movement doesn't always have a monopoly on fighting the oppressors. Sometimes, there are obviously some other guys with different ideas how to get rid of the occupying power. In the relevant case, the flag is supposed to represent the organization under the name Ahwazi Arabic Revolution.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 3 July 2003

Flag Report 21, dated 1 January 2002, stated:

The Parliament of Ahwaz (or Arabistan) in exile decided in 1999 on this flag as the flag of Ahwaz, with the agreement of all Arab parties of the region of Ahwaz in exile, except the Arabic Front [for the] Liberation [of] Ahwaz (AFLA) that was opposed by political reasons. The flag chosen contains the colors of the Arab revolution. The flag means that the inhabitants of the region of Ahwaz are Muslims; the star has eight points, one for every revolution where the people of Ahwaz has taken part. The colors coincide with those of another two Arab peoples in search of freedom, specifically the Palestinian and the Saharan people, who arouse special feelings of brotherhood and solidarity among the people of Ahwaz.

Jaume Ollé, 3-4 July 2003