{"id":2073,"date":"2022-11-29T20:47:49","date_gmt":"2022-11-29T20:47:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=2073"},"modified":"2023-03-23T18:54:11","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T18:54:11","slug":"us-iran-match-reflects-a-regional-rivalry-for-many-arab-fans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/magazine\/sports\/fifacup2022\/us-iran-match-reflects-a-regional-rivalry-for-many-arab-fans\/2022\/11\/29\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"US-Iran match reflects a regional rivalry for many Arab fans"},"content":{"rendered":"

BAGHDAD<\/span> (AP)<\/span> —<\/span> The<\/span> US<\/span> team’s<\/span> must-win<\/span> World<\/span> Cup<\/span> match<\/span> against<\/span> Iran<\/span> has<\/span> drawn<\/span> attention<\/span> across<\/span> the<\/span> Middle<\/span> East,<\/span> where<\/span> the<\/span> two<\/span> nations<\/span> have<\/span> been<\/span> locked<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> Cold<\/span> War<\/span> for<\/span> more<\/span> than<\/span> 40<\/span> years<\/span> and<\/span> many<\/span> have<\/span> defended<\/span> one<\/span> or<\/span> both.<\/span> I’m<\/span> here.<\/span> Local<\/span> responsibility<\/span> is<\/span> disastrous.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Critics<\/span> of<\/span> Iran<\/span> argue<\/span> that<\/span> Iran<\/span> has<\/span> fomented<\/span> war<\/span> and<\/span> unrest<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> Arab<\/span> world<\/span> by<\/span> backing<\/span> powerful<\/span> armed<\/span> groups<\/span> in<\/span> Lebanon,<\/span> Syria,<\/span> Iraq,<\/span> Yemen<\/span> and<\/span> Palestinian<\/span> territories.<\/span> Proponents<\/span> believe<\/span> it<\/span> is<\/span> leading<\/span> a<\/span> “resistance<\/span> axis”<\/span> against<\/span> US<\/span> imperialism,<\/span> corrupt<\/span> Arab<\/span> rulers,<\/span> and<\/span> Israel’s<\/span> oppression<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Palestinian<\/span> people.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> division<\/span> is<\/span> particularly<\/span> sharp<\/span> in<\/span> Lebanon<\/span> and<\/span> Iraq,<\/span> where<\/span> heavily<\/span> armed<\/span> Iran-backed<\/span> political<\/span> factions<\/span> vie<\/span> for<\/span> political<\/span> influence<\/span> with<\/span> more<\/span> Western-leaning<\/span> opponents.<\/span> Many<\/span> in<\/span> these<\/span> countries<\/span> believe<\/span> that<\/span> Iran<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States<\/span> should<\/span> receive<\/span> compensation.<\/span> Others<\/span> want<\/span> the<\/span> plague<\/span> on<\/span> both<\/span> houses.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“Both<\/span> are<\/span> Iraqi<\/span> opponents<\/span> and<\/span> have<\/span> played<\/span> a<\/span> negative<\/span> role<\/span> in<\/span> Iraq,”<\/span> said<\/span> Haider<\/span> Shakar<\/span> of<\/span> downtown<\/span> Baghdad’s<\/span> Karadah<\/span> district,<\/span> where<\/span> both<\/span> countries’<\/span> flags<\/span> are<\/span> displayed<\/span> outside<\/span> a<\/span> cafe.<\/span> It’s<\/span> a<\/span> sporting<\/span> event,<\/span> and<\/span> we’re<\/span> both<\/span> in<\/span> it,<\/span> and<\/span> that’s<\/span> what<\/span> we<\/span> are<\/span> all<\/span> about.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>A<\/span> widely<\/span> circulated<\/span> meme<\/span> ahead<\/span> of<\/span> Tuesday’s<\/span> match<\/span> between<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States<\/span> and<\/span> Iran<\/span> jokingly<\/span> referred<\/span> to<\/span> “the<\/span> first<\/span> time<\/span> they’ve<\/span> played<\/span> outside<\/span> Lebanon.”<\/span> Another<\/span> Twitter<\/span> user<\/span> joked<\/span> that<\/span> whoever<\/span> won<\/span> the<\/span> group<\/span> stage<\/span> would<\/span> “take<\/span> Iraq.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Iran-backed<\/span> Hezbollah,<\/span> since<\/span> 1975,<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> the<\/span> only<\/span> armed<\/span> group<\/span> to<\/span> retain<\/span> arms<\/span> after<\/span> the<\/span> 1990<\/span> Lebanese<\/span> civil<\/span> war.<\/span> It<\/span> says<\/span> the<\/span> weapons<\/span> are<\/span> necessary<\/span> to<\/span> defend<\/span> the<\/span> country<\/span> against<\/span> Israel<\/span> and<\/span> blames<\/span> US<\/span> sanctions<\/span> for<\/span> part<\/span> of<\/span> Lebanon’s<\/span> economic<\/span> crisis.<\/span> Opponents<\/span> have<\/span> accused<\/span> Hezbollah<\/span> of<\/span> “occupying<\/span> Iran”,<\/span> and<\/span> many<\/span> Lebanese<\/span> have<\/span> accused<\/span> both<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States<\/span> and<\/span> Iran<\/span> of<\/span> interfering<\/span> in<\/span> their<\/span> internal<\/span> affairs.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\"\"<\/span>In<\/span> Iraq,<\/span> the<\/span> 2003<\/span> US-led<\/span> invasion<\/span> sparked<\/span> years<\/span> of<\/span> violent<\/span> violence<\/span> and<\/span> sectarian<\/span> strife,<\/span> filling<\/span> the<\/span> void<\/span> with<\/span> Iran-backed<\/span> political<\/span> factions<\/span> and<\/span> militias.<\/span> The<\/span> US<\/span> military<\/span> and<\/span> Iran-backed<\/span> militias<\/span> have<\/span> found<\/span> themselves<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> same<\/span> side<\/span> against<\/span> the<\/span> Islamic<\/span> State<\/span> militant<\/span> group,<\/span> but<\/span> have<\/span> engaged<\/span> in<\/span> several<\/span> shootouts<\/span> since<\/span> their<\/span> defeat.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Both<\/span> Lebanon<\/span> and<\/span> Iraq<\/span> grapple<\/span> with<\/span> years<\/span> of<\/span> political<\/span> stalemate,<\/span> with<\/span> a<\/span> key<\/span> demarcation<\/span> line<\/span> between<\/span> Iran’s<\/span> allies<\/span> and<\/span> opponents.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>In<\/span> Yemen,<\/span> Houthi<\/span> militias<\/span> allied<\/span> with<\/span> Iran<\/span> took<\/span> over<\/span> the<\/span> capital<\/span> and<\/span> much<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> north<\/span> in<\/span> 2014.<\/span> Since<\/span> then,<\/span> it<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> at<\/span> war<\/span> with<\/span> a<\/span> number<\/span> of<\/span> factions<\/span> backed<\/span> by<\/span> two<\/span> US<\/span> allies,<\/span> Saudi<\/span> Arabia<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> Arab<\/span> Emirates.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>In<\/span> the<\/span> Syrian<\/span> civil<\/span> war,<\/span> Iran<\/span> supported<\/span> the<\/span> government<\/span> of<\/span> President<\/span> Bashar<\/span> Assad<\/span> against<\/span> rebel<\/span> groups,<\/span> including<\/span> those<\/span> backed<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> West.<\/span> It<\/span> supports<\/span> extremist<\/span> groups<\/span> such<\/span> as<\/span> Hamas<\/span> and<\/span> Islamic<\/span> Jihad.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Interviews<\/span> with<\/span> football<\/span> fans<\/span> in<\/span> Beirut<\/span> and<\/span> Baghdad<\/span> before<\/span> the<\/span> game<\/span> revealed<\/span> mixed<\/span> feelings.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u201cOf<\/span> course,<\/span> I<\/span> am<\/span> not<\/span> pro-Iran<\/span> after<\/span> all<\/span> the<\/span> disasters<\/span> that<\/span> Iran<\/span> has<\/span> caused,\u201d<\/span> said<\/span> Beirut-based<\/span> Aline<\/span> Nouehed.<\/span> “Definitely<\/span> I’m<\/span> pro-American,”<\/span> she<\/span> added,<\/span> but<\/span> even<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States<\/span> “isn’t<\/span> helping<\/span> us<\/span> 100<\/span> percent.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>In<\/span> Baghdad,<\/span> Ali<\/span> Fadel<\/span> wants<\/span> to<\/span> support<\/span> Iran.<\/span> Because<\/span> she<\/span> said,<\/span> “Iran<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> neighbouring<\/span>\u00a0country,<\/span> a<\/span> country<\/span> in<\/span> Asia.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“There<\/span> are<\/span> many<\/span> connections<\/span> between<\/span> us<\/span> and<\/span> them,”<\/span> he<\/span> added.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Noor<\/span> Sabah<\/span> plans<\/span> to<\/span> stand<\/span> up<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States<\/span> because<\/span> “they<\/span> are<\/span> a<\/span> strong<\/span> team<\/span> and<\/span> [the<\/span> United<\/span> States]<\/span> rules<\/span> the<\/span> world.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Regional<\/span> politics<\/span> hinged<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> final<\/span> duel<\/span> between<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States<\/span> and<\/span> Iran<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> 1998<\/span> World<\/span> Cup.<\/span> It<\/span> happened<\/span> less<\/span> than<\/span> 20<\/span> years<\/span> after<\/span> that,<\/span> leading<\/span> to<\/span> an<\/span> ongoing<\/span> hostage<\/span> crisis<\/span><\/p>\n

This comes less than 20 years after Iran’s Islamic revolution overthrew the US-backed Shah, causing protesters to take over the US embassy and spark an ongoing hostage crisis.<\/p>\n

French riot police were stationed at the Lyon stadium that year, but they didn’t need to. The teams posed together for a group photo, with Iranian players bringing white roses for their opponents.<\/p>\n

In this year’s matchup, loyalties were shaken by Iran’s nationwide protests, with some Iranians openly rooting for their country’s teams. The players refused to sing the national anthem before the opening game, which was seen as an expression of sympathy for the protests, but reversed course and sang it before the next game. advertisement
\nDaniel Reich, an associate visiting professor at Qatar’s Georgetown University who studies sports policy, said the World Cup fan base is not necessarily an indicator of political affiliation, even in countries with deep divisions.<\/p>\n

In Lebanon, for example, local sports are “highly politicized”, with all major basketball and soccer clubs having political and sectarian affiliations, he noted. When it comes to choosing their favourite national team for the World Cup they never won, fans look to a number of associations.<\/p>\n

This is true across the region, where fans in Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo shirts can be seen from Gaza to Afghanistan.<\/p>\n

“This is one of the few areas where people have the freedom and freedom to simply choose the country they want, rather than the one they feel obligated to belong to,” Rich said.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BAGHDAD (AP) — The US team’s must-win World Cup match against Iran has drawn attention across the Middle East, where the two nations have been locked in a Cold War for more than 40 years and many have defended one or both. I’m here. Local responsibility is disastrous. Critics of Iran argue that Iran has […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[372,1,2418,2450,2459],"tags":[351,377,269,338,340],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1000-3-1.jpeg","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2073"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2073"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2073\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2076,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2073\/revisions\/2076"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}