Iranian players singing national anthem before game against Wales
Iran.
Iranian players appeared to have withdrawn their protests under pressure from the Islamic regime.
Players remained silent as boos filled the ground before kick-off against England in Monday’s first group match.
Their earlier refusal to sing was a sign of solidarity with protesters in their home country and government security forces over the death of Martha Amini, a woman who died in custody after being arrested by Tehran’s moral police. Hundreds were killed in clashes with .
The Iranian football team sang Iran’s national anthem before the World Cup match against Wales in Qatar
But many Iranian fans in the stands carried slogans in support of Friday’s protests, drawing particular attention to human rights issues and the plight of women.
Qatari authorities took particular trouble with a female fan who had her face painted white and bloody tears streaming from her eyes. He held up an Iranian football shirt with the number .
Outside the stadium, Iranian fans chanted “freedom for Iran, no for the Islamic Republic”. This is a direct attack on Iran’s theocratic government and society, where women do not enjoy the same rights as male citizens.
An Iranian fan holds a shirt in memory of Kurdish woman Martha Amini, who died at the age of 22 while in the custody of the country’s morality police in the capital Tehran.
Photo: Iranian fans demonstrating inside Ahmad bin Ali stadium – holding Iranian football shirts bearing Martha Amini’s name and number 22 – her age when she died while being detained by Tehran’s moral police. there isSince then, protests have swept across the country, killing hundreds
Iranian fans appeared to face each other officially inside Qatar stadium on Friday
Qatari police also took issue with confiscating a fan who waved the Iranian flag in a black cross as he entered the Ahmad bin Ali stadium.
Images appeared to show police asking fans to remove the flags, cracking down on protests on the ground.
The flag looked like the flag of Iran before the Persian Revolution.
Others wore shirts with the national protest movement’s slogan, “Women, Life, Freedom.”
A small mob of men angrily chanted “Islamic Republic of Iran” at a woman interviewing foreign media about the protest outside the stadium.
A shouting match erupted outside the security checkpoint between fans chanting “Women, Life, Freedom” and those chanting “Islamic Republic” in reply.
Many female fans were visibly shaken as Iranian government supporters surrounded them with flags and filmed them with their mobile phones.
A 35-year-old woman named Mariam, like other Iranian fans, refused to give her last name for fear of government reprisals, but burst into tears when she heard the hooting of men blowing horns around her. , a close-up shot of her face. Her face had the words “Woman Life Freedom” painted on it.
Another woman, Vanya, 21, from Qatar, said she could never return to Iran after what she experienced outside the stadium on Friday. “I’m really worried for her safety here,” she said.
A group of fans wearing hats emblazoned with the name of former Iranian footballer Boria Ghafori, who were arrested in Iran on Thursday, said their hats had been stolen by government supporters.
“It’s clear that this match has become very political this week. You can see people from the same country hate each other,” said Mustafa, a 40-year-old Iranian fan. “I believe that the three arrests of Boliah had a great impact on Iranian society as well.”
Some anti-government fans waved signs in support of the protests during Iran’s first match against England earlier this week. Before the match, the Iranian players were silent while the national anthem was played. On Friday they sang together.
Unrest in Iran was fueled by the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody of the country’s morality police. It initially focused on state-mandated women’s hijabs, or headscarves, but has since morphed into one of the most serious threats to the Islamic Republic since its chaotic years. .
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