By 
Iran sang the national anthem before their World Cup match against Wales on Friday, after refusing to do so in Qatar.
In an apparent show of solidarity with anti-government protesters in Iran, the Iranian players stood motionless during their anthem before their 6-2 defeat to England on Monday.
On Friday, an AFP photographer at the stadium witnessed security personnel seizing a flag with the protest slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom” from a fan.
During the singing of the anthem, some Iranian fans were in tears.
“I don’t like to talk about political issues, but we are not under any pressure,” Taremi said on the eve of the Wales game.
Since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in morality police custody on September 16, Iran has been rocked by two months of nationwide protests.
Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian of Kurdish origin, died three days after being arrested in Tehran for allegedly violating the women’s dress code, which includes the mandatory hijab headscarf.
According to the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights, at least 400 people have died as a result of the crackdown since Amini’s death.
The government’s reaction has raised questions about whether the team represents Iran or the regime that has ruled with an iron fist since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Comments