ALBAWABA - Photos and videos circulated on social media showing a black flag being raised in Iran with people debating the meaning behind it.
According to netizens, the black flag was raised over the Imam Reza Holy Shrine in Mashhad, the second largest city in Iran after Tehran.
Many people reportedly said that the black flag was placed following the Israeli attack on Al-Ahli hospital in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 17, which killed hundreds of Palestinians.
Some attributed the black flag over the Imam Reza Holy Shrine in Mashhad as a sign of mourning for the victims in Gaza.
Several people said that the black flag is a symbol of mourning for Shiites, which is traditionally raised to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, but today it stands as a strong symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian people, and in mourning for the lives lost in an Israeli raid on a hospital.
Meanwhile, rumors continued to spread online as others claimed that this might be a sign showing Iran's readiness for a possible declaration of war against Israel.
