Despite Iranian footballers’ refusing to sing Islamic Republic’s anthem in support of the protests, they did not manage to save face as their humiliating 6-2 defeat prompted Iranians to celebrate the loss of their own team.
Players of Iran's national football (soccer) team who were heavily criticized by people on social media for their lack of solidarity with the nationwide protests, remained silent when the national anthem was played at the Qatar’s Khalifa International Stadium at the beginning of their match against England on Monday. The Islamic Republic state broadcaster censored the footage of the players lining up before the match as the anthem was played.
Iranian fans at the stadium shouted while the music was being played with some making thumbs-down gestures in an apparent act of protest against the Islamic Republic.
During the game, Iranian fans shouted the name of outspoken former footballer Ali Karimi, who has been charged in absentia for supporting ongoing antigovernment protests. Iranians back home, who usually celebrate in streets after Team Melli matches, came out after the game for more antigovernment protests. However, considering the Internet shut down by the government, footage from the streets is slow to appear online.
The popularity of the squad has declined in recent months, with many people accusing them of siding with the violent crackdown on protesters, who are seeking the fall of the Islamic Republic. Many people on social media say Iranians are the only nation who are vouching for the opposing team.
On Sunday, captain Ehsan Hajsafi became the first member of the Iranian team to speak out from the World Cup on the situation at home, saying "we are with them. And we support them. And we sympathize with them."
Iranians expected the players to use the World Cup as a platform to show solidarity with the protesters.
England pummeled the Iranian squad with six goals while Mehdi Taremi’s two goals – one from close range and one from the penalty spot – were the only consolation for the Islamic Republic’s representatives.
The match was the worst loss Team Melli suffered in recent history, with many Twitter users saying that if the players had not entered the pitch in support of their fellow Iranians who are being killed by government forces, they would reclaim their lost popularity and would only count as 3-nil loss for the forfeit.
The third month of the protests started with demonstrations and sit-ins at universities in the morning, as workers of the country's largest car parts manufacturer joined the nationwide strikes and clashes were reported during funerals and mourning ceremonies for those who were killed in recent days.
According to reports, security forces attacked the dormitory of medical students in Esfahan early Saturday morning and arrested several students. The raid was carried out hours after professors of the three universities of Esfahan, Shiraz and Tehran’s Beheshti issued separate letters demanding an end to the attacks inside universities and student dormitories.
In addition to universities, staff at many schools across the country are set for strikes on Sunday and Monday upon a call by the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Associations in reaction to the schoolchildren killed in the past few days.
Since the protests began in mid-September following the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, the Islamic Republic has killed more than 400 people, including about 50 children. The number of deaths, which many believe is much higher, has been increasing exponentially ever since protesters became angrier with the regime and crackdown intensified this week.
As a traditional society that holds the departed in high esteem, Iranian people hold a funeral service, and several mourning ceremonies for the third, seventh and 40th day after the death of every single protester, with each event becoming a call for more protests. Security forces attack the gatherings and kill more people; therefore, the cycle goes on ad infinitum.
On Saturday, security forces attacked several mourning ceremonies, including the ones in Tehran, Mahabad, and Shiraz, where people were chanting antigovernment slogans and threatening the regime with continuing the rallies until it falls.
November 19 was also the date for another one of the global rallies that have become one of the recurring phenomena of the current protests. Iranian expatriate communities gather in central parts of their cities from Australia to north America to support the protests in Iran and condemn the Islamic Republic. The rallies are mainly organized by Canada-based activist Hamed Esmaeilion, whose daughter and wife were killed when the IRGC shot down a passenger plane in January 2020. All rallies follow the same motto: The Time Has Come.
Large rallies were held in many cities in the eastern hemisphere, such as Melbourne, Sydney and Wellington while the demonstrations got underway in some European cities. It is estimated that rallies will be held in over 100 cities by the end of Saturday in the western hemisphere.
While the Islamic Republic has been trying to downplay the ongoing strikes in different sectors and industries, every week workers at more companies are joining the movement, both in solidarity with the antigovernment rallies and in protest to the dire economic situation.
The workers of the Crouse Company, Iran’s largest automobile parts designer and manufacturer, went on strike on Saturday. The company is the backbone of the main carmakers of Iran, which are among the biggest sources of income for the regime.