Iranian players and fans make bold statements against their government at the 2022 World Cup

It has been a tumultuous year for the World Cup, with host Qatar facing corruption and bribery allegations in addition to fresh scrutiny over its human rights record. But on Monday, when Iranian fans tried to enter the Iran-England game, they were barred from entering unless they surrendered their Persian flags. The

Persian flag predates the 1979 Iranian Revolution and it has taken on new meaning in light of the recent protests against Iran’s theocratic regime. Showing provocation on the pitch, Iranian players also refused to sing their country’s national anthem, while some fans in the stands sang the Persian national anthem.

Later in the game, a more visible show of solidarity came when Iranian fans held up a banner that read “Women, Life, Freedom”, which has become a rallying cry in Iran .

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