Ahead Of Match Against US, Iran Govt Warns Its Players, Families Against Supporting Anti-Hijab Protests: Report

In order to avoid a repeat of the Iranian team's solidarity with the anti-hijab protesters in their country, the government has allegedly threatened the players and their families.

The Iran team LtR: Ehsan Hajsafi, Alireza Beiranvand, Morteza Pouraliganji, Rouzbeh Cheshmi, Ali Karimi, Majid Hosseini, Sadegh Moharrami, Ahmad Nourollahi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Mehdi Taremi dont sing the national anthem ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between England and IR Iran at Khalifa International Stadium on November 21, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.

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Ahead of the US-Iran Group B Fifa World Cup tie, reports of the Iranian government threatening its team and the families of the players have emerged. The alleged threats have come as a result of the football team’s support for the protesters in Iran.

Citizens of Iran have taken to the streets, protesting the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, also known as Jina Amini, in police custody. Kurdish-origin Amini died in a hospital after being arrested for not wearing the hijab properly. She was hospitalised allegedly after being subjected to police brutality. Her death led to the rise of the prolonged anti-hijab protests in Iran. The protests are said to be the biggest in Iran's history.

The Iranian team refused to sing the national anthem before the game against England on November 21 in solidarity with the protesters. After the game, Iran captain Ehsan Hajsafi said: “Conditions in our country are not right, and our people are not happy. The victims’ families should know that we are with them; we support them and we sympathise with them.”

Some of the players were, however, seen singing the national anthem before the team's match against Wales on November 25. 

News outlet CNN reported that the players’ families have now been “threatened with imprisonment and torture” if the players fail to “behave” in the run-up to the match against the US. The warning was allegedly issued to prevent a repeat of the act of the players before the England match.

According to the report, the Iranian players were directed to meet the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps after the match against England.