{"id":2003,"date":"2022-11-29T10:40:46","date_gmt":"2022-11-29T10:40:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=2003"},"modified":"2023-03-23T18:53:32","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T18:53:32","slug":"fans-brace-for-politically-charged-u-s-iran-match-at-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/brusselsindependent\/fans-brace-for-politically-charged-u-s-iran-match-at-world-cup\/2022\/11\/29\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"Fans brace for politically charged U.S.-Iran match at World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

DOHA,<\/span> Nov<\/span> 29<\/span> (Reuters)<\/span> –<\/span> Diplomatic<\/span> foes<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States<\/span> and<\/span> Iran<\/span> face<\/span> off<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> pitch<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> World<\/span> Cup<\/span> on<\/span> Tuesday<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> match<\/span> that<\/span> some<\/span> Iranians<\/span> fear<\/span> may<\/span> see<\/span> further<\/span> run-ins<\/span> with<\/span> stadium<\/span> security<\/span> or<\/span> clashes<\/span> with<\/span> pro-government<\/span> fans<\/span> over<\/span> raging<\/span> protests<\/span> back<\/span> home.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> contest<\/span> between<\/span> the<\/span> two<\/span> nations<\/span> that<\/span> severed<\/span> ties<\/span> over<\/span> 40<\/span> years<\/span> ago<\/span> will<\/span> be<\/span> held<\/span> with<\/span> increased<\/span> security<\/span> to<\/span> prevent<\/span> a<\/span> flare<\/span> up<\/span> of<\/span> tensions<\/span> over<\/span> the<\/span> unrest<\/span> that<\/span> has<\/span> gripped<\/span> Iran<\/span> since<\/span> the<\/span> death<\/span> in<\/span> custody<\/span> of<\/span> 22-year-old<\/span> Mahsa<\/span> Amini<\/span> on<\/span> Sept.<\/span> 16.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>In<\/span> a<\/span> show<\/span> of<\/span> solidarity<\/span> ahead<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> match,<\/span> the<\/span> U.S.<\/span> Soccer<\/span> Federation<\/span> temporarily<\/span> displayed<\/span> Iran’s<\/span> national<\/span> flag<\/span> without<\/span> the<\/span> emblem<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Islamic<\/span> Republic,<\/span> leading<\/span> Tehran<\/span> to<\/span> complain<\/span> to<\/span> FIFA,<\/span> according<\/span> to<\/span> state<\/span> media.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Qatar,<\/span> which<\/span> has<\/span> strong<\/span> ties<\/span> with<\/span> Washington<\/span> and<\/span> friendly<\/span> relations<\/span> with<\/span> Tehran,<\/span> has<\/span> staked<\/span> its<\/span> reputation<\/span> on<\/span> delivering<\/span> a<\/span> smooth<\/span> World<\/span> Cup,<\/span> beefing<\/span> up<\/span> security<\/span> at<\/span> Iran<\/span> games<\/span> and<\/span> banning<\/span> some<\/span> items<\/span> deemed<\/span> inflammatory,<\/span> like<\/span> Iran’s<\/span> pre-Revolution<\/span> flag.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>When<\/span> Iran<\/span> beat<\/span> Wales<\/span> on<\/span> Friday,<\/span> security<\/span> teams<\/span> were<\/span> deployed<\/span> to<\/span> “break<\/span> up<\/span> a<\/span> small<\/span> number<\/span> of<\/span> altercations”<\/span> between<\/span> Iranian<\/span> fans<\/span> outside<\/span> the<\/span> stadium,<\/span> a<\/span> Qatari<\/span> official<\/span> said,<\/span> adding<\/span> the<\/span> incidents<\/span> were<\/span> dealt<\/span> with<\/span> “swiftly”<\/span> to<\/span> contain<\/span> tensions.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“I<\/span> will<\/span> not<\/span> attend<\/span> the<\/span> game<\/span> on<\/span> Tuesday<\/span> since<\/span> I<\/span> do<\/span> not<\/span> feel<\/span> safe<\/span> in<\/span> Qatar,”<\/span> said<\/span> Iranian-Canadian<\/span> Azi,<\/span> declining<\/span> to<\/span> give<\/span> her<\/span> last<\/span> name<\/span> and<\/span> who<\/span> was<\/span> wearing<\/span> a<\/span>
\n<\/span>“Qatar<\/span> is<\/span> conducting<\/span> the<\/span> same<\/span> censorship<\/span> system<\/span> as<\/span> what<\/span> is<\/span> going<\/span> on<\/span> in<\/span> Iran<\/span> …<\/span> Also<\/span> FIFA<\/span> is<\/span> to<\/span> take<\/span> the<\/span> blame,”<\/span> she<\/span> told<\/span> Reuters<\/span> about<\/span> being<\/span> stopped<\/span> by<\/span> stadium<\/span> security<\/span> for<\/span> her<\/span> attire.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Hila<\/span> Yadegar,<\/span> 37,<\/span> plans<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> match<\/span> to<\/span> show<\/span> support<\/span> for<\/span> protesters<\/span> even<\/span> though<\/span> she<\/span> and<\/span> her<\/span> husband<\/span> were<\/span> both<\/span> briefly<\/span> held<\/span> by<\/span> stadium<\/span> guards<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> Iran-Wales<\/span> match<\/span> and<\/span> despite<\/span> voicing<\/span> similar<\/span> unease<\/span> over<\/span> security<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> Gulf<\/span> Arab<\/span> state.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“I<\/span> put<\/span> a<\/span> chair<\/span> behind<\/span> our<\/span> room<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> hotel<\/span> even<\/span> though<\/span> it<\/span> was<\/span> locked,”<\/span> said<\/span> Yadegar,<\/span> who<\/span> works<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> hospital<\/span> in<\/span> Canada.<\/span> When<\/span> asked<\/span> about<\/span> fan<\/span> safety<\/span> concerns<\/span> and<\/span> complaints<\/span> about<\/span> restrictions,<\/span> a<\/span> Qatari<\/span> official<\/span> said<\/span> authorities<\/span> would<\/span> ensure<\/span> all<\/span> World<\/span> Cup<\/span> matches<\/span> are<\/span> “safe<\/span> and<\/span> welcoming<\/span> for<\/span> all<\/span> spectators”.<\/span> rice<\/span> field.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Items<\/span> that<\/span> “could<\/span> increase<\/span> tension<\/span> and<\/span> endanger<\/span> the<\/span> safety<\/span> of<\/span> fans”<\/span> are<\/span> not<\/span> allowed<\/span> inside<\/span> the<\/span> stadium,<\/span> officials<\/span> said.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Politics<\/span> permeated<\/span> the<\/span> tournament,<\/span> which<\/span> was<\/span> held<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> time<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> Middle<\/span> Eastern<\/span> country,<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> Iranian<\/span> team<\/span> was<\/span> pressured<\/span> to<\/span> side<\/span> with<\/span> protesters.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Iranian<\/span> players<\/span> refused<\/span> to<\/span> sing<\/span> the<\/span> national<\/span> anthem<\/span> in<\/span> their<\/span> first<\/span> match<\/span> against<\/span> England,<\/span> losing<\/span> 6\u20132.<\/span> They<\/span> sang<\/span> the<\/span> national<\/span> anthem<\/span> before<\/span> the<\/span> second<\/span> game<\/span> in<\/span> which<\/span> he<\/span> won<\/span> 2\u20130<\/span> against<\/span> Wales.<\/span> Iranian<\/span> fans<\/span> wear<\/span> T-shirts<\/span> with<\/span> pictures<\/span> of<\/span> Supreme<\/span> Leaders<\/span> Ayatollah<\/span> Ali<\/span> Khamenei<\/span> and<\/span> Qassem<\/span> Soleimani,<\/span> Iran’s<\/span> top<\/span> commander<\/span> killed<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> US<\/span> drone<\/span> strike<\/span> in<\/span> 2020<\/span>\u00a0after<\/span> Friday’s<\/span> victory<\/span> sang<\/span> about<\/span> fans<\/span> expressing<\/span> support<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> voiced<\/span> protesters.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Iran’s<\/span> nationwide<\/span> unrest<\/span> represents<\/span> one<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> most<\/span> audacious<\/span> challenges<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> theocracy<\/span> since<\/span> the<\/span> 1979<\/span> Islamic<\/span> Revolution.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> United<\/span> States<\/span> and<\/span> Iran<\/span> cut<\/span> formal<\/span> ties<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> wake<\/span> of<\/span> her<\/span> 1980<\/span> revolution,<\/span> and<\/span> relations<\/span> were<\/span> hostile<\/span> when<\/span> the<\/span> two<\/span> countries<\/span> football<\/span> teams<\/span> met<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> 1998<\/span> World<\/span> Cup.<\/span> Iran<\/span> won<\/span> 2-1<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> match<\/span> called<\/span> “the<\/span> mother<\/span> of<\/span> all<\/span> football<\/span> games”.<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DOHA, Nov 29 (Reuters) – Diplomatic foes the United States and Iran face off on the pitch at the World Cup on Tuesday in a match that some Iranians fear may see further run-ins with stadium security or clashes with pro-government fans over raging protests back home. The contest between the two nations that severed […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2005,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[1,24,372,2450],"tags":[77,201,338,340,366],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/2KGFQLVDBRPMZDFWLDJCMHIX2Q.jpg","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2003"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2003"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2003\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2006,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2003\/revisions\/2006"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}