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Iran’s soccer team begins its World Cup against England on Monday as the country continues to be rocked by widespread protests over the death of Mahsa Amini.
Iran’s national team wants to be “the voice” of the people at the 2022 World Cup, defender and captain Ehsan Hajsafi said on Sunday, November 20, as his country is shaken by an unprecedented uprising, harshly repressed by the power.
“We have to accept the fact that the situation in the country is not good and that our people are not happy,” said the AEK Athens player on the eve of Iran’s entry into the running. tournament against England (group B). Everyone is unhappy. But that’s no reason not to be the voice of the people and not respect them.”
“Everything we have, we owe to our people and we are here to work hard, to fight, to behave well on the pitch, to score goals and to devote ourselves to the Iranian people. I hope the situation will change as the people wish and everyone will be happy,” he added.
Hajsafi also sent “his condolences to the families of the victims”, ensuring that he was “at their side”.
Support for events
Iran is the scene of a protest movement sparked on September 16 by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd who was arrested by morality police for violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code.
Denouncing “riots” orchestrated by foreign forces, the authorities embarked on a deadly crackdown, which left at least 378 dead, according to a report released on Saturday by the NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR), based in Norway. Nearly 15,000 people were also arrested, according to the same source.
Several Iran national team players have expressed their support for the uprising on social media, wearing black wristbands during matches or refusing to sing the national anthem.
The star of “Team Melli”, Sardar Azmoun, had thus been talked about for having, in several messages on social networks, expressed his support for the protest movement and denounced the repression in his country.
After the match against England, the Iranians must face Wales on November 25 and the United States on November 29, in a rematch of the historic match between these two countries at the 1998 World Cup.
With AFP