The Iranian regime threatens players' families with "violence and torture" - and sends actor fans into the stadium

Created: 11/29/2022 11:13 am

By: Fabian Mueller

The Iran national team before the World Cup match against Wales.

© Federico Gambarini/dpa

The Iranian national team's families were threatened with torture if the players failed to sing the national anthem.

False fans should now create a positive mood against the USA.

Tehran/Doha - The Iranian national soccer team is not only under pressure from a sporting point of view.

In Iran, there have been protests against the regime for several weeks. Numerous well-known personalities, including many sports stars, have stood in solidarity behind the demonstrators and are publicly criticizing the government.

Ever since the Iranian national team failed to sing the national anthem in the first game against England, the regime has been on the alert for the World Cup.

Even state television stopped broadcasting during the silent protest.

Ahead of Iran's politically explosive game against the United States, the American TV broadcaster CNN reports that the families of the Iranian team have been openly threatened if the players do not "behave" around Tuesday's game.

According to the report, after the first game against England, the Iranian internationals met members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps.

Iran regime threatens players with "violence and torture": Team sings anthem against Wales

The players' families were threatened with "violence and torture" if the national anthem was not sung in the following games against Wales and the USA or if the players took part in political protests against the Tehran regime.

In the game against Wales, which Iran won 2-0, the players stuck to the condition that they did not make a political statement.

CNN also reports that around the World Cup in Qatar, dozens of Revolutionary Guards officers were assigned to monitor the Iranian players.

The players are not allowed to spend their free time outside of the team hotel, nor are they allowed to meet foreigners.

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Iran's coach, Portuguese Carlos Queiroz, is also said to have met with Revolutionary Guards officials after threats were made against the players' families.

However, nothing is known about the content of the talks.

Queiroz had previously said Iranian players would be allowed to protest at the World Cup as long as the actions were within Fifa regulations.

Video: Violence against demonstrators: Iran's footballers refuse the national anthem at the World Cup

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Iran vs. USA: Regime sends "actors" as fans for good mood

According to the CNN report, the regime sent several hundred "actors" into the stands for the game against Wales in order to spread the feeling among Iranian fans that the mood towards the Iranian government was widespread.

According to the source, there should be several thousand "fans" for the game against the USA.

Sports are increasingly taking a backseat for the Iranian national team, although progression in Group B is still up to them if they beat the USA.

(fmu)