1 9 2 3 . ▁However , ▁some ▁report ▁the ▁symbol ▁was ▁introduced ▁at ▁Gene va ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁ ▁as ▁a ▁counter ▁example ▁to ▁the ▁cres cent ▁and ▁cross ▁used ▁by ▁two ▁of ▁Iran ' s ▁riv als , ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁and ▁the ▁Russian ▁emp ires . ▁ ▁Although ▁that ▁claim ▁is ▁incons istent ▁with ▁the ▁Red ▁C res cent ' s ▁history , ▁that ▁history ▁also ▁suggests ▁that ▁the ▁Red ▁Lion ▁and ▁Sun , ▁like ▁the ▁Red ▁C res cent , ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁conce ived ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 7 – 1 8 7 8 ▁war ▁between ▁Russia ▁and ▁Turkey . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁em blem ' s ▁association ▁with ▁the ▁Iran ian ▁mon archy , ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁Republic ▁of ▁Iran ▁replaced ▁the ▁Red ▁Lion ▁and ▁Sun ▁with ▁the ▁Red ▁C res cent ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁consistent ▁with ▁two ▁existing ▁Red ▁Cross ▁and ▁Red ▁C res cent ▁symbols . ▁Although ▁the ▁Red ▁Lion ▁and ▁Sun ▁has ▁now ▁fallen ▁into ▁dis use , ▁Iran ▁has ▁in ▁the ▁past ▁reserved ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁take ▁it ▁up ▁again ▁at ▁any ▁time ; ▁the ▁Gene va ▁Con vent ions ▁continue ▁to ▁recognize ▁it ▁as ▁an ▁official ▁em blem , ▁and ▁that ▁status ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁Pro tocol ▁III ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁even ▁as ▁it ▁added ▁the ▁Red ▁Cry stal . ▁ ▁Un recogn ized ▁em blem s ▁ ▁The ▁Red ▁Star ▁of ▁David ▁( M agen ▁David ▁Ad om