Iran’s first game: what are the national team and fans up to? Swiss delegates on climate conference: “We are really disappointed”

Given the protests that have been going on for months, it is unlikely that football is the top priority in Iran right now. Still, sport is very important in the country.

And ahead of Iran’s first World Cup match against England, voices are getting louder and also calling for clear gestures of support for the national team’s domestic protests. After all, there is hardly a better stage for a problem than a football world championship.

Expectations of the national team

The pressure on the national team is therefore great. Iranian striker Alireza Jahanbakhsh has already been criticized by many fans. Before leaving for Qatar, he posed for photos with conservative president Ebrahim Raisi. The English media also approached Iran’s players ahead of the game about possible protests. Players Karim Ansarifard and Morteza Pouraliganji declined to answer questions about the protests on Friday. Others like Jahanbakhsh were visibly irritated:

However: The players who approve or support the protests in their home country seem to be in the majority. Iranian opposition sports journalist Mehdi Rostampour recently told ARD: “I can say with certainty that among the players of the national team, apart from two or three who are on the side of the government, the rest are sympathetic to the people.”

English media also confirm this image. Captain Ehsan Hajsafi said he was on the side of the protesters. Before the game against England he said:

Iran’s coach, Portugal’s Carlos Quieroz, a former assistant coach at Manchester United, has already declared that his players are free to protest at the World Cup: “Everyone has the right to speak out.”

Iran international Sardar Azmoun is a player at Bayer Leverkusen and should also be known by many football fans in Europe. He also risked a lot for the World Cup, including his participation in the tournament. In mid-September, Azmoun publicly and clearly supported the protesting women on Instagram:

Azmoun deleted the message shortly afterwards. Fortunately for him, the international can play in Qatar despite public protests and has been included in the squad.

Iranian football journalist Sina Saemian is convinced that the majority of Iranian players support the protests. The players had already expressed their opinion in the exhibition game against Senegal. Some of them refused to sing the Iranian national anthem at the start of the match. “They showed with gestures which side they are on. But I think the frustration of some parts of the protesters is that this is not enough,” Saemian told Skysports.

Fan protests?

Not only the players, but also the Iranian fans want to make active statements in the match against England. According to ARD, there is a call to the spectators in the stadium to shout the name of Mahsa Amini in the 22nd minute of the match. The death of the 22-year-old Iranian in mid-September sparked the protests.

As ZDF reports, English fans also want to participate in these protests. Iran’s opening game against England is also explosive because there is a large Iranian community living in England. Many Iranian exiles regularly protest against the Iranian regime in places like London’s Hyde Park.

In addition to England, Iran also plays against Wales and the USA in the group stage. In any case, given the historic enmity between the US and Iran, this game will also be very explosive from a sporting point of view. (lacquer)