Updated 03.38 | Published 03.36
LOS ANGELES. Not all Iranians at the country’s World Cup premiere support the national team.
Quantities of banned flags were smuggled in.
– I feel nothing for this national team, says the Swedish-Iranian Siavash Mesdaghi.
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Iran’s to be or not to be in the World Cup finally ended with the national team traveling to the United States, despite the countries’ war.
The night before Tuesday, Swedish time, it was time for the premiere against New Zealand in Los Angeles and outside Sofi Stadium people gathered to protest against the Iranian regime.
Sporbladet also spoke to several Iranians who were going into the arena and were not there to cheer on Iran’s national team.
– This is not our national team, says one woman.
“Not Iran’s national team”
A man calls the national team “terrorist sympathizers”.
– This is not Iran’s national team. It is the national team of the Islamic Republic, he says.
Also the Swedish-Iranian Siavash Mesdaghi, who is the sports director of Parsian IF in Upplands Väsby, made it to the USA to attend the match.
– I feel nothing for this national team. I don’t feel that this national team is something I’m passionate about and live for, as I once did. If the national team loses matches today, it won’t bother me in the slightest. I am here to be the voice of the people, I am here to raise the lion and sun flag and I am here to tell you who the leader of Iran really is. It is the crown prince, says Mesdaghi.
The flag is prohibited
Just before the match, the International Football Federation, Fifa, announced that it would only allow the Revolutionary Guard’s Iranian flag. The flag used before the revolution may not be brought into the stands.
– Of course it is a sad decision, but it is a highly anticipated decision. And there’s really nothing that changes our stance on this match. We will bring in our lion and sun flags one way or another. There are lots of different ways to get a flag in, says Mesdaghi.
During Iran’s national anthem, at least a couple of hundred lion and sun flags were visible.
– You have some traitors right behind you with the flag of the Islamic Republic, unfortunately. But we are here to support Iran and they will not be able to stop 60,000 people, says one man to Sportbladet.
Loud cheers were heard from parts of the crowd as Iran’s national anthem was played. Several players sang along to the national anthem, but the Swedish-Iranian Saman Ghoddos, who started the match, did not.
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