Gesture comes amid ongoing protests against Iranian regime
Associated Press
The USA men’s football team (USMNT) has begun displaying Iran’s national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic republic as nationwide protests challenging Tehran’s theocratic government continue.
The Twitter account of the USMNT on Sunday displayed a banner with the squad’s matches in the group stage, with the Iranian flag only bearing its green, white and red colours. The same could be seen in a post on the team’s Facebook and Instagram accounts laying out the points totals so far in the group.
The USMNT did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, the absence of the emblem comes as months-long demonstrations have challenged Iran’s government since the death on 16 September of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been detained by the country’s morality police.
The protests have seen at least 450 people killed since they started, as well as over 18,000 arrested, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, an advocacy group following the demonstrations. Iran has not released casualty or arrest figures for months and alleges without providing evidence that the protests have been fomented by its enemies abroad, including the US.
Tehran also restricts press access and has detained over 63 reporters and photographers since the demonstrations began, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, making covering the unrest much more difficult.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations and its football federation did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iranian state media had yet to acknowledge the emblem’s absence on the USMNT’s accounts, though comments raged online.
The Islamic republic emblem, designed in 1980, is four curves with a sword between them. It represents the Islamic saying: “There is no god but God.” It also resembles a tulip or lotus. At the top and the bottom of the flag, there are 22 inscriptions of “God is Great” as well, which honours the date on the Persian calendar when the Islamic Revolution took place.
The flag has become a point of contention at the World Cup. Apparent pro-government supporters have waved it, shouting at those demonstrating over Amini’s death. Others at matches have waved Iran’s lion and sun flag, an emblem of its former ruler, the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. A bigger security presence could be seen during Iran’s last match against Wales. In the capital Tehran, riot police – the same ones cracking down on protests – waved the Iranian flag after the victory against Wales, angering demonstrators. Iran will face the USMNT on Tuesday.
Let's hope the Iranian people are a bit more steadfast in their fight than the US team which lasted less than 24 hours.
Go team Meli
Our flag has Lion and Sun, so if US shows our flag, million of Iranians would be happy.
#Mahsa_Amini
In 70s South Africa was banned from Olympics, but Uganda under Idi Amin was allowed to participate and Equatorial Guinea, and the central African Republic, those 3 countries dictators butchered their own people.
#Mahsa_Amini
To IRI, distorting the flag is outrageous, but selling shahed drones for killing Ukrainians is justifiable!
Let's hope the Iranian people are a bit more steadfast in their fight against the misogynistic regime! It is absurd for IRI to lecture the whole world on oppression and discrimination!
@yolanda,
I share those hopes with you but I think the US and the Western world have been lecturing the whole world far more about oppression while they have been supporting and enabling the 53+ OCCUPATION of Palestinians which has been far more devastating to their lives than IRI crimes against Iranians in particular Iranian women. Of course the support to the Occupier regime is only one example of their hypocrisy and double standards. So, when you go and condemn Iran selling weapons to the Russians, which is definitely condemnable but we should not forget or forgive all the weapons the US and Western world have been selling to regimes such as the one in Israel, Saudi Arabia or Saddam when they attacked Iran with chemical weapons.
US is so evil and hypocritcal, but why do you live in US???? Why don't you move to a country that you have a little of respect????? Did anyone force you come to the evil America????? So according to you, which country deserves your respect????
It gives me the impression that you love Palestinians more than Iranians, Why don't you move to Palestine and get a Palestinian citizenship & renounce your US citizenship???? I understand that you are absolutely disgusted with US and the West, it is ok, you don't have to be here and suffer mentally! A lot of people on the Mexican US borders love to trade place with you!
@yolanda,
Just because one points out the obvious hypocrisy of some, it would be a grand mistake to take the impression or conclude that one loves a group more than another group. On the contrary, it amplifies that at best one cares about a group while does not give a damn about the other that is in the same condition or in this case much worse.
You may not have noticed either by intention or otherwise, that I have been outspoken about IRI crimes against Iranian people, women in particular, just as the next person and I am willing to put my past record vis a vie IRI against any of the (yours included) of die hard IRI critics.
And I will leave the other question about "evil" USA without a response as it does not deserve a response.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EXDqC9nx0Ck
Iranians are sick and tired of IRI's diversion/distraction tactic! Iranians are fighting for their own destiny!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EXDqC9nx0Ck
I am getting sick and tired of Islamic thugs in Iran and this Palestinian guy on our site with his retarded google Farsi transation. I really don't understand what this guy wants from our site. I suggested many times to post his comments on Arab sites. There are 27 Arab nations in this world, they will be more sympathetic to his nonsense comments than Iranians. He might have been married Iranian women which is coommon after mullahs took power in Iran. Most of them married some Fatti commondos.
As we see in the above comments, thought process of Palestinians are way different than Iranians. Unlike Palestinians, we don't have hate west. Also, Many Iranian families live in israel. It seems this guy don't get it. Some people just don't listen.
#Mahsa_Amini