Iran begins World Cup campaign amid backdrop of unrest at home

Iran’s World Cup team will be closely watched by officials and fans on Monday for any sign of support for anti-government protests boiling at home.

Team Melli is caught between young supporters that back protests against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran and his warning the team should not “disrespect the country”.

The players will face England for their first match in Qatar on Monday. Historically Team Melli has been celebrated by Iranians across political divides for triumphing against much stronger international sides.

Past appearances at World Cup tournaments have triggered huge street celebrations in Iran, often coinciding with moments of geopolitical tension or crisis, such as their 1998 World Cup group stage win against the US.

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But their ability to unify the country has also been used by the government for propaganda purposes.

At a November 14th photo opportunity with President Ebrahim Raisi, at least two team players were shown bowing their heads in deference to the hardline cleric. The images went viral on Twitter, spurring outrage.

“A lot of people have boycotted the tournament and don’t want to even watch,” said Panthea, a 34-year old gym instructor and soccer fan in Tehran who didn’t want to give her surname because of the sensitivities of speaking to foreign media.

“I want to watch the match to see whether the team will do anything on the pitch and if they’ll try to make up for those photos,” Panthea said.

Iran’s Stars of Screen and Sport Throw Weight Behind Protesters

Other top Iranian footballers and athletes have supported protests over Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in police custody in Tehran in September after allegedly violating Islamic dress codes.

Iranian soccer star Ali Daei - one of the most capped players in the world - has boycotted the World Cup and stayed at home to show solidarity with the demonstrators.

Last week retired Iranian goalkeeper Parviz Boroumand was arrested for taking part in protests, state media reported.

At other sporting events, Iranian teams have also taken a stand. The men’s water polo team refused to sing during the Islamic Republic’s anthem at an event on November 8th. Iranian sportswomen have competed unveiled at international tournaments, for the first time in decades, drawing the ire of authorities.

After their arrival in Doha last week, Team Melli stoked criticism from protesters for taking part in preparations without acknowledging unrest at home. They were photographed laughing in their team strip or cutting a cake in the shape of a soccer field with their Portuguese captain, Carlos Queiroz.

The depth of anger even raises the prospect that many Iranians could be actively rooting for England instead-- an idea that would’ve been unthinkable a few months ago.

One image, that’s been liked more than 55,000 times on Twitter, shows a photo of the England side along with a caption in Persian saying, “The hopes of all Iranians are with you lion cubs of Great Britain on Monday, may God protect you.”

British comedian Omid Djalili has urged the England team to make its own protests against Iran’s leadership in a video posted on social media and viewed one million times.

Demonstrations outside the Iranian embassy in London have also drawn rebuke from Tehran. Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the UK ambassador on Sunday to complain for the fourth time in two months.

The England team will also have other political issues on their mind. They face a conflict with Fifa over the intention of captain Harry Kane to wear the rainbow armband, a symbol of support for the LGBT community. They also plan to take the knee, to protest racism, before each match.

- Bloomberg