In an unprecedented protest against the Iranian regime, the Iranian players refused to sign the national anthem before their opening match against England. echo of the dissent from back home, these players voiced their support for the revolts with their silence.
Immediately after this insult, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps met with the opposing players to lay down their terms. Threatening “violence and torture” for the players’ families if they continue down this show of support, the IRGC is keeping an exceptionally close eye on all the players during their time at the World Cup.
According to a CNN source, “there are a large number of Iranian security officers in Qatar collecting information and monitoring the players… In the last game against Wales, the regime sent over hundreds of these actor supporters in order to create a false sense of support and favor amongst the fans.”
In that game against Wales, the Iranian team did sing the national anthem.
A Rise in Protests
With increasing turbulence in Iran, the protests against the Islamic Republic are crossing into every circle of life. Mahsa Amini’s death sparked the flame that Iranians are hoping will torch the authoritarian government.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency, which tracks the protests in Iran, states more than 450 protestors were killed by the government (including children).
Various other Iranian athletes have shown support for the protestors. However, many apologized or explained the misunderstanding in public, prompting many to infer that the strict Iranian government had something to do with their public statements.
A Flag Change
Apart from refusing to sing the national anthem, Iran’s World Cup run has been under fire due to an action by the United States Soccer Federation. US Soccer chose to display the Iranian flag on its official Twitter without the symbol of the Islamic Republic to show their support for the protestors. Immediately thereafter, Iran’s state media made a drastic move to call for the US’s removal from the World Cup. Although the graphic was removed, the issue just calls into the limelight how much these protests are intertwining with every aspect of civilization.
A Celebration of Loss
After Iran’s defeat to the United States, many protestors in Tehran celebrated Iran’s World Cup end. Mehran Samak honked his car in support of the Iranian team’s defeat and was shot in the head by security forces. It was later discovered that Samak was a childhood friend of the Iranian soccer team’s midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi. In a post in his story, Ezatolahi promises “Some day the masks will fall, the truth will be laid bare.”
Protests in Iran show no sign of slowing down as individuals of every level of society are getting increasingly inflamed by the regime’s stranglehold. These protests are the largest challenge since the regime took power over four decades ago, and it is to be seen whether the outcome will be that fundamental shift in power that the citizens desire.
