Amid all the uncertainty regarding Iran's participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, the fans and the national football federation held a send-off for the players on Wednesday (May 13) before their scheduled departure. The war between Iran and US, one of the hosts of the football world cup 2026 along with neighbours Mexico and Canada, had put Middle Eastern country's participation at risk and US president Donald Trump remarks didn't help the cause either. Iran had requested FIFA to change their group-stage match locations from the US to Mexico but the governing body of world football denied it. FIFA chief Gianni Infantino then confirmed Iran's participation in the 48-team tournament a few days back.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ligue-1-paris-saint-germain-win-fifth-straight-title-with-win-over-closest-rivals-lens-1778724580610">Ligue 1: PSG win fifth straight title with win over closest rivals Lens</a><h2>Iran holds send-off for football team</h2>The event was held in the capital city of Tehran near Enghelab Square in the central area of the city. It was attended by the fans, president of Iran's football federation, Mehdi Taj, Iran football coach Amir Ghalenoei and the players as well. The fans were ecstatic to see the players, dresses in black and red tracksuit, as they chanted and showed placards in support as well. Have a look at the video below:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Iran sends off national football team to 2026 World Cup Tehran&#39;s Enghelab Square hosted a send‑off ceremony Wednesday as the team prepared to depart for the tournament in the US and Mexico. <a href="https://t.co/c6cAtAr7Db">pic.twitter.com/c6cAtAr7Db</a>&mdash; Truth Seeker (@mib_63) <a href="https://twitter.com/mib_63/status/2054750850971467997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Speaking at the event, football chief Taj said: "The national team players in the World Cup will represent the people, the country's fighters, the leader (supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei) and the country. Our national team is the national football team of wartime," he said, and called upon the team to be a "pillar of authority and resistance."<h2>Iran's schedule in Football World Cup</h2>Iran, also known as Team Melli, is expected to stay in Tucson, Arizona in the US during the World Cup 2026 next month. The West Asian nation is placed in Group G along with New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt. All their group-stage matches are scheduled to be played in United States as following:June 15, 2026: Iran vs. New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. June 21, 2026: Iran vs. Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. June 26, 2026: Iran vs. Egypt at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington.

Iran, placed in Group G for the 48-team tournament, will play New Zealand on June 15 in LA, Belgium on June 21 in LA, and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle during the group-stage of FIFA World Cup 2026.

Amid all the uncertainty regarding Iran's participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, the fans and the national football federation held a send-off for the players on Wednesday (May 13) before their scheduled departure. The war between Iran and US, one of the hosts of the football world cup 2026 along with neighbours Mexico and Canada, had put Middle Eastern country's participation at risk and US president Donald Trump remarks didn't help the cause either. Iran had requested FIFA to change their group-stage match locations from the US to Mexico but the governing body of world football denied it. FIFA chief Gianni Infantino then confirmed Iran's participation in the 48-team tournament a few days back. Also Read - Ligue 1: PSG win fifth straight title with win over closest rivals Lens Iran holds send-off for football team The event was held in the capital city of Tehran near Enghelab Square in the central area of the city. It was attended by the fans, president of Iran's football federation, Mehdi Taj, Iran football coach Amir Ghalenoei and the players as well. The fans were ecstatic to see the players, dresses in black and red tracksuit, as they chanted and showed placards in support as well. Have a look at the video below:

Iran, placed in Group G for the 48-team tournament, will play New Zealand on June 15 in LA, Belgium on June 21 in LA, and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle during the group-stage of FIFA World Cup 2026.

FIFA World Cup 2026 | Iran holds send-off for players ahead of departure - WATCH

The uncertainty over Iran's participation in upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 continues amid the ongoing conflict between US-Israel-Iran. on Wednesday (Mar 18), Iran's football federation chief Mehadi Taj, while receving the women footballers returning from Asian Cup in Australia, reaffirmed that the country will not boycott the quadrennial event. Taj, however, did say that Iran will 'boycott America' but did not elaborate what it meant. FIFA World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played from Jun 11 to Jul 12 and is being co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico. The ongoing conflict between Iran and US-Israel, however, has made it doubtful for the Middle Eastern country to participate in the FIFA tournament.<h2>Will Iran play in FIFA World Cup 2026?</h2>"The national team is holding a training camp in Turkey, and we will also play two friendly matches there," FFIRI (Iranian football federation) president Taj was quoted as saying by the Fars News ‌Agency as reported by several news outlets. "We will boycott America, but we will not boycott ​the World Cup."Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iranian-women-s-team-players-including-those-who-were-granted-assylum-in-australia-return-home-1773898903204">Iranian women's football team players return hom after Austalian asylum episode</a>The statement comes after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-world-cup-2026-fifa-not-moving-iran-s-matches-outside-usa-and-expect-teams-to-as-announced-schedule-1773827419514">FIFA hinted at not giving importance to Iran's demand</a> of moving group stage matches outside USA for which the Middle Eastern country said it was 'negotiating with FIFA.'<h2>What next for Iran?</h2>Earlier, Iran was hinting at not attending the FIFA World Cup, citing the conflict which started with US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb 28, killing the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenie. Trump, meanwhile, replied back by saying he 'doesn't care' if Iran plays in the World Cup.FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, meanwhile, said that he had spoken to the US president and Trump had assured him of 'welcoming' Iran. The US, notably, had banned the Iran nationals from coming in to the country with an exception for FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA 28 athletes.

FIFA World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played from Jun 11 to Jul 12 and is being co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico. The ongoing conflict between Iran and US-Israel, however, has made it doubtful for the Middle Eastern country to participate in the FIFA tournament.

The uncertainty over Iran's participation in upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 continues amid the ongoing conflict between US-Israel-Iran. on Wednesday (Mar 18), Iran's football federation chief Mehadi Taj, while receving the women footballers returning from Asian Cup in Australia, reaffirmed that the country will not boycott the quadrennial event. Taj, however, did say that Iran will 'boycott America' but did not elaborate what it meant. FIFA World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played from Jun 11 to Jul 12 and is being co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico. The ongoing conflict between Iran and US-Israel, however, has made it doubtful for the Middle Eastern country to participate in the FIFA tournament. Will Iran play in FIFA World Cup 2026? "The national team is holding a training camp in Turkey, and we will also play two friendly matches there," FFIRI (Iranian football federation) president Taj was quoted as saying by the Fars News ‌Agency as reported by several news outlets. "We will boycott America, but we will not boycott the World Cup." Also Read - Iranian women's football team players return hom after Austalian asylum episode The statement comes after FIFA hinted at not giving importance to Iran's demand of moving group stage matches outside USA for which the Middle Eastern country said it was 'negotiating with FIFA.' What next for Iran? Earlier, Iran was hinting at not attending the FIFA World Cup, citing the conflict which started with US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb 28, killing the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenie. Trump, meanwhile, replied back by saying he 'doesn't care' if Iran plays in the World Cup. FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, meanwhile, said that he had spoken to the US president and Trump had assured him of 'welcoming' Iran. The US, notably, had banned the Iran nationals from coming in to the country with an exception for FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA 28 athletes.

FIFA World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played from Jun 11 to Jul 12 and is being co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico. The ongoing conflict between Iran and US-Israel, however, has made it doubtful for the Middle Eastern country to participate in the FIFA tournament.

'We'll boycott America, but...': Iran clears stance on FIFA World Cup 2026 participation

The Iranian women's football team, who was embroiled in asylum drama over the past two weeks and a half, has returned home barring two members of the entourage. Seven members of the Iranian squad had applied for a asylum in Australia during the Asian Cup but five of them, including skipper Zahra Ghanbari, turned back on the decision. The women's team made its way back to Iran through a long route via Malaysia, Oman and then to Istanbul and Turkey’s land Gurbulak-Bazargan border to enter the home country. The members, who were branded 'wartime traitors' by national media not so long ago, will now have a welcome ceremony on Thursday (Mar 19).<h2>Iranian women's football team members go back on Australia asylum - A timeline</h2>The whole drama started when some of the members didn't sing the national athem ahead of their first match in the tournament. The players who did not sing the national anthem were declared 'wartime traitors' &nbsp;by the Iranian national media. The players did sing the anthem in the next matches but the narrative had been set by then.Also Watch - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-messi-reaches-900-goal-milestone-breakdown-of-his-career-in-numbers-1773886740778">Messi reaches 900-goal mark but Inter Miami out of CONCACAF Champions Cup</a>After the incident, five of the Iranian players escaped the Gold Coast hotel to reach Australian embassy and apply for asylum, which they were granted after a little push from US President Donald Trump.Two more of the squad members including one staff applied for the asylum later on and were granted the request as well.Iran accused Australia of coercing athletes into asylum while activists accused Iran of thretaning the families of athletes over asylum decision.<h2>What next for the women's football team members?</h2>After the athletes were given asylum, Iran changed tone and called the players 'children of homeland', promising a welcome ceremony in Tehran.Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, in a post on X, said the players are "children of the homeland, and the people of Iran embrace them."Ghalibaf also said that the players "disappointed the enemies [of Iran] and did not surrender to deception and intimidation by anti-Iran elements," by deciding to comeback to home.Iran's football federation chief Mehadi Taj was present to welcome the women's team at the border and was quoted saying: "We have all gathered here to say well done and to express our appreciation. Although they are women, they showed manly courage and strength," as reported by the Guardian.

The whole drama started when some of the Iran players didn't sing the national athem ahead of their first match in the tournament. Out of 7 who were granted asylum in Australia, 5 decided to return home, leaving only two in island country.

The Iranian women's football team, who was embroiled in asylum drama over the past two weeks and a half, has returned home barring two members of the entourage. Seven members of the Iranian squad had applied for a asylum in Australia during the Asian Cup but five of them, including skipper Zahra Ghanbari, turned back on the decision. The women's team made its way back to Iran through a long route via Malaysia, Oman and then to Istanbul and Turkey’s land Gurbulak-Bazargan border to enter the home country. The members, who were branded 'wartime traitors' by national media not so long ago, will now have a welcome ceremony on Thursday (Mar 19). Iranian women's football team members go back on Australia asylum - A timeline The whole drama started when some of the members didn't sing the national athem ahead of their first match in the tournament. The players who did not sing the national anthem were declared 'wartime traitors' by the Iranian national media. The players did sing the anthem in the next matches but the narrative had been set by then. Also Watch - Messi reaches 900-goal mark but Inter Miami out of CONCACAF Champions Cup After the incident, five of the Iranian players escaped the Gold Coast hotel to reach Australian embassy and apply for asylum, which they were granted after a little push from US President Donald Trump. Two more of the squad members including one staff applied for the asylum later on and were granted the request as well. Iran accused Australia of coercing athletes into asylum while activists accused Iran of thretaning the families of athletes over asylum decision. What next for the women's football team members? After the athletes were given asylum, Iran changed tone and called the players 'children of homeland', promising a welcome ceremony in Tehran. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, in a post on X, said the players are "children of the homeland, and the people of Iran embrace them." Ghalibaf also said that the players "disappointed the enemies [of Iran] and did not surrender to deception and intimidation by anti-Iran elements," by deciding to comeback to home. Iran's football federation chief Mehadi Taj was present to welcome the women's team at the border and was quoted saying: "We have all gathered here to say well done and to express our appreciation. Although they are women, they showed manly courage and strength," as reported by the Guardian.

The whole drama started when some of the Iran players didn't sing the national athem ahead of their first match in the tournament. Out of 7 who were granted asylum in Australia, 5 decided to return home, leaving only two in island country.

Iranian women's football team players, including those who were granted asylum in Australia, return home

The US-Israel-Iran war has already put the Middle Eastern country's participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 in doubt and now Iran could face disciplinary action from the sport's governing body as well. The FIFA World Cup is scheduled to played from Jun 11 to Jul 19 and is being co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The war, which started Saturday (Feb 28), has jeopardized the participation of Iran which was also <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-isreal-iran-war-iran-s-participation-in-fifa-world-cup-2026-unlikely-amid-ongoing-attacks-1772420510367">confirmed by the country's football fedration head Mehdi Taj</a> last week. Iran, shall they decide to pull out of the tournament, however, would not be able to breath easy and as they can get banned from paticipating in the future tournaments along with a hefty fine.<h2>What happens if Iran pulls out of FIFA World Cup 2026?</h2>As per the FIFA rules and regulations, no member country is allowed to withdraw from the tournament after the draw and doing so can attract not only monetary penalty but other repurcussions as well. A withdrawl by a member country prompt a fine between $319,000 and $644,000 along with a slew of other form of punishment as well.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-s-atlanta-hawks-wanted-to-celebrate-a-strip-club-here-s-what-league-said-about-it-1773111456250">NBA's Atlanta Hawks wanted to celebrate a STRIP CLUB. Here's what league said about it</a>"Participating associations that withdraw at any stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 shall be required to reimburse all funds received from FIFA for the preparation of their national team, as well as any competition-related contributions received from FIFA,” the regulations state."The FIFA disciplinary committee may impose additional disciplinary measures, taking into account in particular the timing of the withdrawal or exclusion, the seriousness of the infringement that led to the inadmission or exclusion, possible mitigating factors and any other relevant circumstances."These disciplinary sanctions may include the exclusion of the association concerned from a future FIFA competition or the replacement of that association by another."<h2>Has any country every withdrawn from FIFA World Cup?</h2>The last instance of a country withdrawing from FIFA World Cup after the draw happened in 1950 when France and India decided not to take part in the tournament, citing travel costs.Iran, which has played six FIFA World Cups including past three, are place with New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G for the upcoming edition. They may end up facing United States in the knockout stage if both the teams manage to advance from their respective groups.Iranian nationals, as of now, are barred from entering the US under a ban imposed by president Donald Trump in June last year. The athletets who are expected to take part in the FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA28 Olympics are, however, expempted from the ban.

As per the FIFA rules and regulations, no member country is allowed to withdraw from the tournament after the draw and doing so can attract not only monetary penalty but other repurcussions too. A withdrawl by a member country prompt a fine between $319,000 and $644,000 along with other punishments.

The US-Israel-Iran war has already put the Middle Eastern country's participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 in doubt and now Iran could face disciplinary action from the sport's governing body as well. The FIFA World Cup is scheduled to played from Jun 11 to Jul 19 and is being co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The war, which started Saturday (Feb 28), has jeopardized the participation of Iran which was also confirmed by the country's football fedration head Mehdi Taj last week. Iran, shall they decide to pull out of the tournament, however, would not be able to breath easy and as they can get banned from paticipating in the future tournaments along with a hefty fine. What happens if Iran pulls out of FIFA World Cup 2026? As per the FIFA rules and regulations, no member country is allowed to withdraw from the tournament after the draw and doing so can attract not only monetary penalty but other repurcussions as well. A withdrawl by a member country prompt a fine between $319,000 and $644,000 along with a slew of other form of punishment as well. Also Read - NBA's Atlanta Hawks wanted to celebrate a STRIP CLUB. Here's what league said about it "Participating associations that withdraw at any stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 shall be required to reimburse all funds received from FIFA for the preparation of their national team, as well as any competition-related contributions received from FIFA,” the regulations state. "The FIFA disciplinary committee may impose additional disciplinary measures, taking into account in particular the timing of the withdrawal or exclusion, the seriousness of the infringement that led to the inadmission or exclusion, possible mitigating factors and any other relevant circumstances. "These disciplinary sanctions may include the exclusion of the association concerned from a future FIFA competition or the replacement of that association by another." Has any country every withdrawn from FIFA World Cup? The last instance of a country withdrawing from FIFA World Cup after the draw happened in 1950 when France and India decided not to take part in the tournament, citing travel costs. Iran, which has played six FIFA World Cups including past three, are place with New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G for the upcoming edition. They may end up facing United States in the knockout stage if both the teams manage to advance from their respective groups. Iranian nationals, as of now, are barred from entering the US under a ban imposed by president Donald Trump in June last year. The athletets who are expected to take part in the FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA28 Olympics are, however, expempted from the ban.

Iran's participatin in doubt amid ongoing US-Israel-Iran war.FIFA WC 2026, from Jun 11 to Jul 19, co-hosted by USA along with Canada and Mexico.Iran faces fine between $319,000 and $644,000 and a ban from future tournament if they pull out.

'Fund payback and disciplinary measures': What happens if Iran pulls out of FIFA World Cup 2026

Five players in Iran's visiting women's football team have taken asylum in Australia over fears of persecution at home for not singing the national anthem before a match, the government said Tuesday. The Iranian players' silence during the anthem ahead of an Asian Cup tournament match in Australia last week was widely seen as an act of defiance against the Islamic republic. Five players escaped the team hotel on Australia's Gold Coast overnight, holing up in a "safe location" while lodging their claims for asylum, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said."They were moved to a safe location by Australian police. I signed off last night on their applications for humanitarian visas," he told reporters."They are welcome to stay in Australia, and they are safe here, and should feel at home here."The government said it was also ready to help other team members if they need it.US President Donald Trump earlier said he had spoken with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to confirm the women were safe.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2026-check-complete-match-schedules-timings-and-venues-1773049474920">FIFA World Cup 2026: Check complete match schedules, timings and venues</a><h2>'He's on it!'</h2>"I just spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, of Australia, concerning the Iranian National Women's Soccer Team. He's on it! Five have already been taken care of," Trump said Monday on his Truth Social network, less than two hours after an initial post urging Australia to take them in.Trump added that "some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don't return."Albanese said the government had prepared to help the players "for some time" and it was open to helping others in the team."Once it was made clear that these women wanted assistance, the Australian Federal Police moved them to a safe location where they remain," he said.Australia's intelligence service chief was also consulted, the prime minister said."Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women. They're safe here, and they should feel at home here," he told a news conference.<h2>‘Help is here’</h2>"We are willing to provide assistance to other women in the team, noting that this is a very delicate situation, and it is up to them," Albanese said."But we say to them, if you want our help, help is here, and we will provide that."The prime minister thanked the media for their "restraint" in reporting the story, saying the government wanted to let the players know that help was available in a way that did not endanger them or their families and friends at home.The son of Iran's late shah, US-based Reza Pahlavi, said on social media that he had been informed of the five players' asylum.Pahlavi, who has not returned to Iran since before the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the monarchy, has billed himself as the man to lead a democratic transition to a secular Iran as the theocratic regime fights to survive.Politicians, human rights activists and even "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling had called for the team to be offered official protection.A presenter on Iranian state TV had branded the players "wartime traitors" after they stood motionless during the anthem before their match against South Korea.In subsequent games, the players saluted and sang.Crowds gathered outside the Gold Coast stadium where the side played their last match over the weekend, banging drums and shouting "regime change for Iran".They then surrounded the Iranian team bus, chanting "let them go" and "save our girls".On Monday, an AFP journalist saw members of the team speaking on phones from their hotel room balconies.

The Iranian players' silence during the anthem ahead of an Asian Cup tournament match in Australia last week was widely seen as an act of defiance against the Islamic republic. Five players escaped the team hotel on Australia's Gold Coast overnight, holing up in a "safe location" while lodging their claims for asylum.

Five players in Iran's visiting women's football team have taken asylum in Australia over fears of persecution at home for not singing the national anthem before a match, the government said Tuesday. The Iranian players' silence during the anthem ahead of an Asian Cup tournament match in Australia last week was widely seen as an act of defiance against the Islamic republic. Five players escaped the team hotel on Australia's Gold Coast overnight, holing up in a "safe location" while lodging their claims for asylum, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said. "They were moved to a safe location by Australian police. I signed off last night on their applications for humanitarian visas," he told reporters. "They are welcome to stay in Australia, and they are safe here, and should feel at home here." The government said it was also ready to help other team members if they need it. US President Donald Trump earlier said he had spoken with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to confirm the women were safe. Also Read - FIFA World Cup 2026: Check complete match schedules, timings and venues 'He's on it!' "I just spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, of Australia, concerning the Iranian National Women's Soccer Team. He's on it! Five have already been taken care of," Trump said Monday on his Truth Social network, less than two hours after an initial post urging Australia to take them in. Trump added that "some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don't return." Albanese said the government had prepared to help the players "for some time" and it was open to helping others in the team. "Once it was made clear that these women wanted assistance, the Australian Federal Police moved them to a safe location where they remain," he said. Australia's intelligence service chief was also consulted, the prime minister said. "Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women. They're safe here, and they should feel at home here," he told a news conference. ‘Help is here’ "We are willing to provide assistance to other women in the team, noting that this is a very delicate situation, and it is up to them," Albanese said. "But we say to them, if you want our help, help is here, and we will provide that." The prime minister thanked the media for their "restraint" in reporting the story, saying the government wanted to let the players know that help was available in a way that did not endanger them or their families and friends at home. The son of Iran's late shah, US-based Reza Pahlavi, said on social media that he had been informed of the five players' asylum. Pahlavi, who has not returned to Iran since before the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the monarchy, has billed himself as the man to lead a democratic transition to a secular Iran as the theocratic regime fights to survive. Politicians, human rights activists and even "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling had called for the team to be offered official protection. A presenter on Iranian state TV had branded the players "wartime traitors" after they stood motionless during the anthem before their match against South Korea. In subsequent games, the players saluted and sang. Crowds gathered outside the Gold Coast stadium where the side played their last match over the weekend, banging drums and shouting "regime change for Iran". They then surrounded the Iranian team bus, chanting "let them go" and "save our girls". On Monday, an AFP journalist saw members of the team speaking on phones from their hotel room balconies.

The Iranian players' silence during the anthem ahead of an Asian Cup tournament match in Australia last week was widely seen as an act of defiance against the Islamic republic. Five players escaped the team hotel on Australia's Gold Coast overnight, holing up in a "safe location" while lodging their claims for asylum.

Amid chaos, five Iranian women's football players given asylum in Australia

Former Iranian football player Ali Karimi, his wife and her&nbsp;family have been subjected to a travel ban during the recent anti-government protests, leaked documents acquired by the BBC have shown.&nbsp;

The publication&nbsp;stated that&nbsp;Karimi was invited by an Iranian agent and received serious warnings before the ban was imposed. Karimi was one of the first influential personalities in the country to stand up in protest after the death of a Kurdish-origin woman named Mahsa Amini, allegedly at the hands of the morality police.&nbsp;

Iran's Revolutionary Guard's intelligence unit in a letter marked 'top secret' and dated October 24, 2022, informed&nbsp;Tehran's prosecutor that "Karimi's recent activities were instigated by his wife Sahar Davari and her family".

Notably, Davari's father,&nbsp;Gholamali Davari had been executed in the late 1980s on charges of being a member of&nbsp;the Communist Tudeh Party. The documents claimed that Karimi's in-laws, on his behalf wanted to sell his mansion in&nbsp;Lavasan to&nbsp;emigrate permanently.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iranian-football-legend-ali-daei-says-family-ordered-off-flight-barred-from-leaving-country-546915">WATCH |&nbsp;Iranian football legend Ali Daei says family ordered off flight, barred from leaving country</a>

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iranian-football-legend-ali-daei-says-family-ordered-off-flight-barred-from-leaving-country-546915/embed" width="560"></iframe>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/legendary-iranian-footballer-ali-daei-claims-family-not-allowed-to-leave-country-546929#" id="jqclosemark">×</a>

Subsequently, the Revolutionary Guard asked for a travel ban on Karimi, Davari, her mother, step-father, brother and sister.

Karimi said the authorities had ramped up surveillance on him and his family as well as friends.&nbsp;

"My friend was interrogated three or four times in the notorious Evin prison.&nbsp;One of them needed both a deposit bail and a guarantor to be able to leave Iran," he told BBC Persian.&nbsp;

As for selling the mansion, Karim refuted the claims and said,&nbsp;"Security forces raided the place and brutally beat up the janitor.&nbsp;My neighbours tell me lights are on some nights and plain-clothes agents are seen going in and out."&nbsp;

Karimi made his international debut for Iran in 1998 at the age of 19 and went on to make 127 career appearances. He represented the country at four Asian Games as well as the 2006 FIFA World Cup. However, despite giving his all for the country, Karimi and his family have been forced to move out to the UAE to an undisclosed location. If he returns, the ban would mean he would not be able to leave the country.&nbsp;

<h2>Ali Daei faced similar situation</h2>

Notably, Karimi is not the only Iranian footballer to have been at the receiving end from the authorities. Last year, legendary footballer Ali Daei claimed that&nbsp;his wife and daughter were not allowed to travel out of the country after a flight carrying them was re-routed.&nbsp;

Previously, reports emerged that Daei's two shops situated in Tehran's fashionable north were shut down, following a judicial order.&nbsp;Daei has been a vocal supporter of the Iranian anti-government protests that have been going on.&nbsp;

"I have received numerous threats against myself and my family in recent months and days from some organisations, medias and unknown individuals," said Daei in an Instagram post.

"I was taught humanity, honour, patriotism and freedom...What do you want to achieve with such threats?" he added.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/legendary-iranian-footballer-ali-daei-claims-family-not-allowed-to-leave-country-546929">ALSO READ |&nbsp;Legendary Iranian footballer Ali Daei claims family not allowed to leave country</a>

According to human rights groups, the protests that started last year have led to the death of 530 protesters, including 70 children.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Former Iranian football player Ali Karimi, his wife and her family have been subjected to a travel ban during the recent anti-government protests, leaked documents acquired by the BBC have shown.

Former Iranian football player Ali Karimi, his wife and her family have been subjected to a travel ban during the recent anti-government protests, leaked documents acquired by the BBC have shown. The publication stated that Karimi was invited by an Iranian agent and received serious warnings before the ban was imposed. Karimi was one of the first influential personalities in the country to stand up in protest after the death of a Kurdish-origin woman named Mahsa Amini, allegedly at the hands of the morality police. Iran's Revolutionary Guard's intelligence unit in a letter marked 'top secret' and dated October 24, 2022, informed Tehran's prosecutor that "Karimi's recent activities were instigated by his wife Sahar Davari and her family". Notably, Davari's father, Gholamali Davari had been executed in the late 1980s on charges of being a member of the Communist Tudeh Party. The documents claimed that Karimi's in-laws, on his behalf wanted to sell his mansion in Lavasan to emigrate permanently. WATCH | Iranian football legend Ali Daei says family ordered off flight, barred from leaving country × Subsequently, the Revolutionary Guard asked for a travel ban on Karimi, Davari, her mother, step-father, brother and sister. Karimi said the authorities had ramped up surveillance on him and his family as well as friends. "My friend was interrogated three or four times in the notorious Evin prison. One of them needed both a deposit bail and a guarantor to be able to leave Iran," he told BBC Persian. As for selling the mansion, Karim refuted the claims and said, "Security forces raided the place and brutally beat up the janitor. My neighbours tell me lights are on some nights and plain-clothes agents are seen going in and out." Karimi made his international debut for Iran in 1998 at the age of 19 and went on to make 127 career appearances. He represented the country at four Asian Games as well as the 2006 FIFA World Cup. However, despite giving his all for the country, Karimi and his family have been forced to move out to the UAE to an undisclosed location. If he returns, the ban would mean he would not be able to leave the country. Ali Daei faced similar situation Notably, Karimi is not the only Iranian footballer to have been at the receiving end from the authorities. Last year, legendary footballer Ali Daei claimed that his wife and daughter were not allowed to travel out of the country after a flight carrying them was re-routed. Previously, reports emerged that Daei's two shops situated in Tehran's fashionable north were shut down, following a judicial order. Daei has been a vocal supporter of the Iranian anti-government protests that have been going on. "I have received numerous threats against myself and my family in recent months and days from some organisations, medias and unknown individuals," said Daei in an Instagram post. "I was taught humanity, honour, patriotism and freedom...What do you want to achieve with such threats?" he added. ALSO READ | Legendary Iranian footballer Ali Daei claims family not allowed to leave country According to human rights groups, the protests that started last year have led to the death of 530 protesters, including 70 children. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Iran football star Ali Karimi put under travel ban, reveal leaked documents

A Dubai-bound flight carrying the wife and daughter of former football national team captain Ali Daei, who has supported anti-government protests, was re-routed by the Iranian authorities, preventing them from leaving the country.

Iranian football legend Ali Daei says family ordered off flight, barred from leaving country

Iran is set to execute 26-year-old footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani. He has been charged with "waging war against god." Current and former players are asking for leniency.

WION Fineprint | Iran to execute footballer

Iran’s top footballer Voria Ghafouri, who is one of the vocal supporters of anti-hijab protests, was arrested by the Tehran police for allegedly spreading propaganda against the Islamic regime.

Ghafouri, a Kurdish and a former member of the national team who has appeared 28 times for Iran up until 2019, was arrested training session at his club, Foolad Khuzestan, on charges of having “tarnished the reputation of the national team and spread propaganda against the state”, the Fars new agency said.

His arrest comes against the backdrop of the Iran football team showing defiance against the regime in a recent World Cup match in Qatar.

The team did not sing the national anthem at their first match against England on Monday, inviting scrutiny from the officials.

According to reports, the 35-year-old footballer will most likely be charged with “insulting and intending to destroy the national football team and speaking against the regime”.

<h2>WION Exclusive: Iran Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani talks about protests and the West</h2>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-exclusive-iran-deputy-foreign-minister-ali-bagheri-kani-talks-about-protests-and-the-west-537176/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

One of the outspoken critics of the crackdown against the protesters, the footballer has been urging the government to stop killing Kurdish people.

“Stop killing Kurdish people!!! Kurds are Iran itself … Killing Kurds is equal to killing Iran. If you are indifferent to the killing of people, you are not an Iranian and you are not even a human being … All tribes are from Iran. Do not kill people!!!,” he recently tweeted.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unhrc-orders-international-probe-of-irans-crackdown-on-protests-537226">UNHRC orders international probe of Iran's crackdown on protests</a>

The wave of protests that has rocked the country for more than a month was sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman.

Ghafouri has been on the radar of the regime for expressing&nbsp;support for the protesters, prompting the ministers to accuse him of being a Kurdish separatist.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/forty-foreigners-arrested-during-protests-after-amini-death-claims-iran-536524">Forty foreigners arrested during protests after Amini death, claims Iran</a>

But he has resolutely maintained that he was a proud nationalist and would give his life for&nbsp;Iran.

Earlier this year, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a veiled reference to Ghafouri, said, “Some people, who benefit from the country’s peace and security, enjoying their jobs and their favourite sports, bite the hand that feeds them.”

Ghafouri is from the Kurdish-populated city of Sanandaj in western Iran. He is regarded as a cult hero across the country.

He recently posted a photo on Instagram of himself in traditional Kurdish dress in the mountains of Kurdistan.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: 

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Iran’s top footballer Voria Ghafouri, who is one of the vocal supporters of anti-hijab protests, was arrested by the Tehran police for allegedly spreading propaganda against the Islamic regime.

Iran’s top footballer Voria Ghafouri, who is one of the vocal supporters of anti-hijab protests, was arrested by the Tehran police for allegedly spreading propaganda against the Islamic regime. Ghafouri, a Kurdish and a former member of the national team who has appeared 28 times for Iran up until 2019, was arrested training session at his club, Foolad Khuzestan, on charges of having “tarnished the reputation of the national team and spread propaganda against the state”, the Fars new agency said. His arrest comes against the backdrop of the Iran football team showing defiance against the regime in a recent World Cup match in Qatar. The team did not sing the national anthem at their first match against England on Monday, inviting scrutiny from the officials. According to reports, the 35-year-old footballer will most likely be charged with “insulting and intending to destroy the national football team and speaking against the regime”. WION Exclusive: Iran Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani talks about protests and the West One of the outspoken critics of the crackdown against the protesters, the footballer has been urging the government to stop killing Kurdish people. “Stop killing Kurdish people!!! Kurds are Iran itself … Killing Kurds is equal to killing Iran. If you are indifferent to the killing of people, you are not an Iranian and you are not even a human being … All tribes are from Iran. Do not kill people!!!,” he recently tweeted. Also read | UNHRC orders international probe of Iran's crackdown on protests The wave of protests that has rocked the country for more than a month was sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman. Ghafouri has been on the radar of the regime for expressing support for the protesters, prompting the ministers to accuse him of being a Kurdish separatist. Also read | Forty foreigners arrested during protests after Amini death, claims Iran But he has resolutely maintained that he was a proud nationalist and would give his life for Iran. Earlier this year, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a veiled reference to Ghafouri, said, “Some people, who benefit from the country’s peace and security, enjoying their jobs and their favourite sports, bite the hand that feeds them.” Ghafouri is from the Kurdish-populated city of Sanandaj in western Iran. He is regarded as a cult hero across the country. He recently posted a photo on Instagram of himself in traditional Kurdish dress in the mountains of Kurdistan. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Iran’s top footballer Voria Ghafouri, supporter of anti-hijab protests, arrested amidst Qatar World Cup row

Authorities in Iran have returned the&nbsp;passport&nbsp;of Ali Daei, the country's football legend confirmed to AFP on Monday, after confiscating it for supporting protests over Mahsa Amini's death. Iran has been gripped by nationwide demonstrations since the 22-year-old Kurdish woman's death was announced on September 16, three days after she was arrested in Tehran for allegedly violating the country's strict dress code. The street violence has led to dozens of deaths, mostly of protesters but also of members of the security forces. Hundreds have also been arrested.

"Upon my return from abroad, my&nbsp;passport&nbsp;was confiscated by police at Tehran's international airport in the presence of my family and other people," Daei said, in his first comments to the media since the beginning of the protests. "The receipt they gave me said I had to go to the public and revolutionary prosecutor in the capital (Tehran) to follow up the case," he noted. The&nbsp;passport's confiscation "wasn't and isn't an important issue for me, so I didn't go anywhere", Daei said, adding that the authorities "returned it after two or three days". Daei on September 27 used social media to call on the government to "solve the problems of the Iranian people rather than using repression, violence and arrests". "The confiscation of Ali Daei's&nbsp;passport&nbsp;was due to what he wrote on Instagram in response to the death of Mahsa Amini," reformist paper Hammihan reported earlier Monday.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/the-goat-virat-kohli-hails-cristiano-ronaldo-as-manchester-united-star-completes-700-club-goals-524159">'The GOAT': Virat Kohli hails Cristiano Ronaldo as Manchester United star completes 700 club goals</a>

<h2>- 'Lack of respect' -</h2>

Nicknamed "Shahriar" ("king" in Farsi), the former forward held the record for the most international goals scored -- 109 -- until September 2021, when Cristiano Ronaldo overtook him. Daei, 52, was one of Iran's first players to compete in a European league. He played in the Bundesliga, first with Arminia Bielefeld before joining Bayern Munich and then Hertha Berlin. Hertha on Sunday tweeted that it was "dismayed looking at the current situation in Iran. Our former player Ali Daei is no longer permitted to leave the country because he has come out in favour of women's rights."

The football star told AFP: "Unfortunately, I don't understand why they seized my&nbsp;passport. And after this lack of respect, what does the return of the&nbsp;passport&nbsp;mean legally?"&nbsp;A number of Iranian sportsmen, actors and filmmakers have thrown their weight behind the demonstrations, asking authorities in the Islamic republic to listen to the people's demands.On Thursday, local media reported that former Bayern Munich midfielder Ali Karimi was facing prosecution over his support for the protests.

The authorities have also seized the passports of singer Homayoun Shajarian and his wife, actress Sahar Dolatshahi, as well as that of filmmaker Mehran Modiri, the ILNA news agency reported on Sunday.

On September 30, Iranian authorities arrested former football player Hossein Mahini over his support for the protests, accusing him of "encouraging riots". Mahini was reportedly released on bail early last week.

Authorities in Iran have returned the passport of Ali Daei, the country's football legend confirmed to AFP on Monday, after confiscating it for supporting protests over Mahsa Amini's death.

Authorities in Iran have returned the passport of Ali Daei, the country's football legend confirmed to AFP on Monday, after confiscating it for supporting protests over Mahsa Amini's death. Iran has been gripped by nationwide demonstrations since the 22-year-old Kurdish woman's death was announced on September 16, three days after she was arrested in Tehran for allegedly violating the country's strict dress code. The street violence has led to dozens of deaths, mostly of protesters but also of members of the security forces. Hundreds have also been arrested. "Upon my return from abroad, my passport was confiscated by police at Tehran's international airport in the presence of my family and other people," Daei said, in his first comments to the media since the beginning of the protests. "The receipt they gave me said I had to go to the public and revolutionary prosecutor in the capital (Tehran) to follow up the case," he noted. The passport's confiscation "wasn't and isn't an important issue for me, so I didn't go anywhere", Daei said, adding that the authorities "returned it after two or three days". Daei on September 27 used social media to call on the government to "solve the problems of the Iranian people rather than using repression, violence and arrests". "The confiscation of Ali Daei's passport was due to what he wrote on Instagram in response to the death of Mahsa Amini," reformist paper Hammihan reported earlier Monday. ALSO READ | 'The GOAT': Virat Kohli hails Cristiano Ronaldo as Manchester United star completes 700 club goals - 'Lack of respect' - Nicknamed "Shahriar" ("king" in Farsi), the former forward held the record for the most international goals scored -- 109 -- until September 2021, when Cristiano Ronaldo overtook him. Daei, 52, was one of Iran's first players to compete in a European league. He played in the Bundesliga, first with Arminia Bielefeld before joining Bayern Munich and then Hertha Berlin. Hertha on Sunday tweeted that it was "dismayed looking at the current situation in Iran. Our former player Ali Daei is no longer permitted to leave the country because he has come out in favour of women's rights." The football star told AFP: "Unfortunately, I don't understand why they seized my passport. And after this lack of respect, what does the return of the passport mean legally?" A number of Iranian sportsmen, actors and filmmakers have thrown their weight behind the demonstrations, asking authorities in the Islamic republic to listen to the people's demands.On Thursday, local media reported that former Bayern Munich midfielder Ali Karimi was facing prosecution over his support for the protests. The authorities have also seized the passports of singer Homayoun Shajarian and his wife, actress Sahar Dolatshahi, as well as that of filmmaker Mehran Modiri, the ILNA news agency reported on Sunday. On September 30, Iranian authorities arrested former football player Hossein Mahini over his support for the protests, accusing him of "encouraging riots". Mahini was reportedly released on bail early last week.

Iran football star Ali Daei's passport seized for supporting protests

Iranian international footballer Majid Hosseini expressed solidarity Wednesday with the women-led protests that erupted nearly two weeks ago, reposting a message calling on the police to put down their guns. Hosseini, a defender who plays for Turkey's top division side Kayserispor, reposted a cartoon on Instagram showing a woman with flowing hair walking up to an anti-riot policeman and taking off his helmet.

"Put down your gun and let this murderous demon come out of your body," the woman tells the policeman in Farsi. "If God gave life, why should you take it?" Hosseini joins a growing list of Iranian footballers and cultural figures, some based abroad, who are taking to social media to condemn the deadly police crackdown.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-injuries-up-20-percent-across-europes-top-leagues-in-202122-season-says-a-study-520794">Football injuries 'up 20 percent' across Europe's top leagues in 2021/22 season, says a study</a>

Dozens of people have been killed since demonstrations erupted when Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, died after being arrested in Tehran for allegedly breaching the Islamic republic's strict rules on hijab headscarves and modest clothing.

Iran's national football team is being dogged with rumours of a split between players who support the protests and those still echoing the criticism published in pro-government media. Iran will be appearing at their sixth World Cup finals in Qatar this year. Hosseini, 26, has played for the national team since 2018, when he also joined Turkey's top-tier side Trabzonspor, before moving to Kayserispor last year.

Iranian international footballer Majid Hosseini expressed solidarity Wednesday with the women-led protests that erupted nearly two weeks ago, reposting a message calling on the police to put down their guns.

Iranian international footballer Majid Hosseini expressed solidarity Wednesday with the women-led protests that erupted nearly two weeks ago, reposting a message calling on the police to put down their guns. Hosseini, a defender who plays for Turkey's top division side Kayserispor, reposted a cartoon on Instagram showing a woman with flowing hair walking up to an anti-riot policeman and taking off his helmet. "Put down your gun and let this murderous demon come out of your body," the woman tells the policeman in Farsi. "If God gave life, why should you take it?" Hosseini joins a growing list of Iranian footballers and cultural figures, some based abroad, who are taking to social media to condemn the deadly police crackdown. ALSO READ | Football injuries 'up 20 percent' across Europe's top leagues in 2021/22 season, says a study Dozens of people have been killed since demonstrations erupted when Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, died after being arrested in Tehran for allegedly breaching the Islamic republic's strict rules on hijab headscarves and modest clothing. Iran's national football team is being dogged with rumours of a split between players who support the protests and those still echoing the criticism published in pro-government media. Iran will be appearing at their sixth World Cup finals in Qatar this year. Hosseini, 26, has played for the national team since 2018, when he also joined Turkey's top-tier side Trabzonspor, before moving to Kayserispor last year.

Iran defender Majid Hosseini sends support for protests

When Sahar Khodayari this week set herself alight in front of a Tehran courthouse, she indicted world soccer body FIFA, its Asian regional group, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and their Presidents, Gianni Infantino and Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.

Infantino and Al Khalifa have been selective in their support for women’s soccer rights.

Infantino was in the White House to urge US President Donald J Trump to endorse equal pay for male and female players on the same day that FIFA expressed regret at the death of Khodayarí, but did nothing to force Iran to lift its ban on women attending male sporting events.

The statement called on Iranian authorities “To ensure the freedom and safety of any woman engaged in this legitimate fight to end the stadium ban for women in Iran” but failed to exert a price for continued maintenance of the ban.

Dubbed Blue Girl, a reference to the colour of her favourite, storied Tehran soccer team, Esteghlal FC, Khodayari, put herself on fire after hearing by-standers speculate that the Revolutionary Court could that day sentence her to two years in prison for "Openly committing a sinful act by appearing in public without hijab" and "insulting officials."

Khodayari was charged after being stopped by security in March as she sought to enter Tehran’s Azadi Stadium dressed as a man to watch Esteghlal play an AFC Asian Cup match against the United Arab Emirates’ Al Ain FC.

Khodayari’s disguise is standard practice for activist female soccer fans in a football-crazy country that has the questionable honour of being the world’s only nation to bar women from attending male sporting events.

Saudi Arabia, the only other country that long maintained a similar ban, abolished the restriction in 2017 as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s social reforms.

In a wave of outrage on Twitter under the hashtag #Blue_Girl, Iranian deputy telecommunications minister Amir Nazemi thundered: "The death of #blue_girl is a conviction for all of us."

Mulanim, another tweeter, went a step further, pointing fingers at FIFA. “Sahar Khodayari burnt herself to death in protest. When would you actually do something? @FIFAcom #fifawwc,” she tweeted.

Taken together, the two tweets put the responsibility on the Iranian government for its discrimination of women and on global and regional soccer governors for allowing Iran to get away with it.

FIFA announced this week that it was sending a delegation to Iran to monitor Iranian moves to allow women to attend World Cup qualifying matches.

The problem is that FIFA has exerted punitive pressure only regarding World Cup matches rather than threatening to ban Iran from all international soccer events if it fails to completely lift the ban.

FIFA’s push on World Cup matches could open the door to a complete lifting of the ban. Past experience, however, suggests that Iran could well treat granting women fans access to World Cup matches as an exception that confirms the rule.

FIFA and the AFC are missing an opportunity to potentially force Iran to lift the ban given that barring Iranian participation in international tournaments would add to the government’s woes at a time that it is struggling to dampen the impact of harsh US economic sanctions designed to persuade Iran to renegotiate the 2015 agreement that curbed the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme.

The sanctions were imposed last year after Trump withdrew from the agreement.

Speaking to reporters, government spokesman Ali Rabiei suggested that a threat by FIFA to exclude Iran from international matches could push the country’s rulers over the hump.

“The government’s general view is to allow women to enter football stadiums, and infrastructure is needed for women’s presence in stadiums,” Rabiei said.

Khodayari’s self-immolation alongside the refusal by an Iranian judoka to withdraw from the 2019 Judo World Championships in Japan on orders of the government sparked a Twitter hashtag, #BanIRSportsFederations, that this month has been used tens of thousands of times.

Taking the call for a ban on Iranian participation in international tournaments and their qualifiers literally, Ali Karimi, a past Asian footballer of the year and top Iranian player opted to lead the way and set an example for FIFA and the AFC.

Karimi advised his 4.5 million followers on Instagram that he would boycott soccer matches in protest against the ban on women. His post was liked more than 100,000 times in less than 30 minutes.

Amir Etemadi, a liberal activist, seconded Karimi’s decision, Tweeting that “It is time to boycott Iranian sports globally and domestically.”

The , #BanIRSportsFederations hashtag constituted a protest against government interference, a no-no under the rules that govern global sports governance and insist on maintaining a largely fictitious separation of sports and politics.

The online protest was sparked when top-ranking judoka Saeid Mollaei said he feared for his safety because he had rejected a demand to withdraw from the tournament in Japan to avoid the risk of having to face an Israeli athlete.

Mollaei was spared facing the Israeli after being defeated in the semi-final.

Iran extends its refusal to recognise Israel to barring its athletes from competing against Israelis in international tournaments – a violation of rules governing those competitions. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

When Sahar Khodayari this week set herself alight in front of a Tehran courthouse, she indicted world soccer body FIFA, its Asian regional group, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and their Presidents, Gianni Infantino and Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.

When Sahar Khodayari this week set herself alight in front of a Tehran courthouse, she indicted world soccer body FIFA, its Asian regional group, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and their Presidents, Gianni Infantino and Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa. Infantino and Al Khalifa have been selective in their support for women’s soccer rights. Infantino was in the White House to urge US President Donald J Trump to endorse equal pay for male and female players on the same day that FIFA expressed regret at the death of Khodayarí, but did nothing to force Iran to lift its ban on women attending male sporting events. The statement called on Iranian authorities “To ensure the freedom and safety of any woman engaged in this legitimate fight to end the stadium ban for women in Iran” but failed to exert a price for continued maintenance of the ban. Dubbed Blue Girl, a reference to the colour of her favourite, storied Tehran soccer team, Esteghlal FC, Khodayari, put herself on fire after hearing by-standers speculate that the Revolutionary Court could that day sentence her to two years in prison for "Openly committing a sinful act by appearing in public without hijab" and "insulting officials." Khodayari was charged after being stopped by security in March as she sought to enter Tehran’s Azadi Stadium dressed as a man to watch Esteghlal play an AFC Asian Cup match against the United Arab Emirates’ Al Ain FC. Khodayari’s disguise is standard practice for activist female soccer fans in a football-crazy country that has the questionable honour of being the world’s only nation to bar women from attending male sporting events. Saudi Arabia, the only other country that long maintained a similar ban, abolished the restriction in 2017 as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s social reforms. In a wave of outrage on Twitter under the hashtag #Blue_Girl, Iranian deputy telecommunications minister Amir Nazemi thundered: "The death of #blue_girl is a conviction for all of us." Mulanim, another tweeter, went a step further, pointing fingers at FIFA. “Sahar Khodayari burnt herself to death in protest. When would you actually do something? @FIFAcom #fifawwc,” she tweeted. Taken together, the two tweets put the responsibility on the Iranian government for its discrimination of women and on global and regional soccer governors for allowing Iran to get away with it. FIFA announced this week that it was sending a delegation to Iran to monitor Iranian moves to allow women to attend World Cup qualifying matches. The problem is that FIFA has exerted punitive pressure only regarding World Cup matches rather than threatening to ban Iran from all international soccer events if it fails to completely lift the ban. FIFA’s push on World Cup matches could open the door to a complete lifting of the ban. Past experience, however, suggests that Iran could well treat granting women fans access to World Cup matches as an exception that confirms the rule. FIFA and the AFC are missing an opportunity to potentially force Iran to lift the ban given that barring Iranian participation in international tournaments would add to the government’s woes at a time that it is struggling to dampen the impact of harsh US economic sanctions designed to persuade Iran to renegotiate the 2015 agreement that curbed the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme. The sanctions were imposed last year after Trump withdrew from the agreement. Speaking to reporters, government spokesman Ali Rabiei suggested that a threat by FIFA to exclude Iran from international matches could push the country’s rulers over the hump. “The government’s general view is to allow women to enter football stadiums, and infrastructure is needed for women’s presence in stadiums,” Rabiei said. Khodayari’s self-immolation alongside the refusal by an Iranian judoka to withdraw from the 2019 Judo World Championships in Japan on orders of the government sparked a Twitter hashtag, #BanIRSportsFederations, that this month has been used tens of thousands of times. Taking the call for a ban on Iranian participation in international tournaments and their qualifiers literally, Ali Karimi, a past Asian footballer of the year and top Iranian player opted to lead the way and set an example for FIFA and the AFC. Karimi advised his 4.5 million followers on Instagram that he would boycott soccer matches in protest against the ban on women. His post was liked more than 100,000 times in less than 30 minutes. Amir Etemadi, a liberal activist, seconded Karimi’s decision, Tweeting that “It is time to boycott Iranian sports globally and domestically.” The , #BanIRSportsFederations hashtag constituted a protest against government interference, a no-no under the rules that govern global sports governance and insist on maintaining a largely fictitious separation of sports and politics. The online protest was sparked when top-ranking judoka Saeid Mollaei said he feared for his safety because he had rejected a demand to withdraw from the tournament in Japan to avoid the risk of having to face an Israeli athlete. Mollaei was spared facing the Israeli after being defeated in the semi-final. Iran extends its refusal to recognise Israel to barring its athletes from competing against Israelis in international tournaments – a violation of rules governing those competitions. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Death of female Iran football fan puts FIFA and Asian soccer body in dock

Women fans will be allowed into the stadium for Iran's next football World Cup qualifier in October, a sports ministry official said Sunday, ahead of a deadline to allow their attendance.

FIFA has been stepping up pressure on Iran to ensure women are allowed to attend qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, reportedly giving it until Saturday to comply or else face consequences.

An official at the sports ministry said on Sunday that women would be able to watch Team Melli —&nbsp;as the national team are known — at their next home game in Tehran's Azadi stadium.

"Women can go to the Azadi stadium on October 10, 2019 to watch the match between the Iranian national team and Cambodia for the Qatar World Cup qualifier," said Jamshid Taghizadeh, the sports ministry's deputy for legal and provincial affairs.

"There is no legal ban (on the presence of women in stadiums] and we must activate the infrastructure, which is underway," he said, quoted by state news agency IRNA.

"Our view on women, at all levels, is to prepare the necessary conditions for women's success."

Iran has barred Iranian women spectators at matches since the 1979 Islamic revolution, with clerics arguing they must be protected from the masculine atmosphere and sight of semi-clad men.

The authorities have allowed foreign women to go to matches in the country in the past.

And while a small number of Iranian women have attended select international matches on previous occasions, others have faced prosecution for entering stadiums at other times.

Four women were recently detained at Azadi stadium before being released, according to a report by the semi-official ISNA news agency on August 18.

Women fans will be allowed into the stadium for Iran's next football World Cup qualifier in October, a sports ministry official said Sunday, ahead of a deadline to allow their attendance.

Women fans will be allowed into the stadium for Iran's next football World Cup qualifier in October, a sports ministry official said Sunday, ahead of a deadline to allow their attendance. FIFA has been stepping up pressure on Iran to ensure women are allowed to attend qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, reportedly giving it until Saturday to comply or else face consequences. An official at the sports ministry said on Sunday that women would be able to watch Team Melli — as the national team are known — at their next home game in Tehran's Azadi stadium. "Women can go to the Azadi stadium on October 10, 2019 to watch the match between the Iranian national team and Cambodia for the Qatar World Cup qualifier," said Jamshid Taghizadeh, the sports ministry's deputy for legal and provincial affairs. "There is no legal ban (on the presence of women in stadiums] and we must activate the infrastructure, which is underway," he said, quoted by state news agency IRNA. "Our view on women, at all levels, is to prepare the necessary conditions for women's success." Iran has barred Iranian women spectators at matches since the 1979 Islamic revolution, with clerics arguing they must be protected from the masculine atmosphere and sight of semi-clad men. The authorities have allowed foreign women to go to matches in the country in the past. And while a small number of Iranian women have attended select international matches on previous occasions, others have faced prosecution for entering stadiums at other times. Four women were recently detained at Azadi stadium before being released, according to a report by the semi-official ISNA news agency on August 18.

Iran to let women attend football World Cup qualifier: Ministry

iran-football

Iran Football, News on Iran Football, stories on Iran Football, articles on Iran Football, Iran Football stories at Wion, Iran Football news, Iran Football latest news

iran football