Amid nearly three months of protests in Iran, many Iranians were rooting for the United States to defeat their home country in Tuesday’s World Cup game.
Tuesday’s game was crucial for both teams. Iran would advance to the knockout stages with a draw, while the USMNT needed a win, which they got, to advance.
However, some protesters believe that an Iranian defeat or draw now will hurt the regime on the world stage and fuel the protestors’ fight.
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In a coded telephone interview with Fox News Digital Monday, an Iranian woman who identified herself as “Mahoora” and lives in southern Iran, said: “It’s not just some people in Iran, but the majority of people in Iran want the US to win (on Tuesday). Quiet the majority [of Iranians] he did not celebrate the victory of the regime team over Wales.”
Celebrations took place in many districts of Tehran, the capital of Iran, as well as in the highly populated cities of Mashhad, Isfahan and Karaj.
USA fans attend the Qatar 2022 Group B match between Iran and USA at Al-Thumama Stadium in Doha on November 29, 2022.
(Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images)
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Ali Safavi, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, released the following statement:
“The jubilant reaction across Iran at tonight’s defeat of the regime’s national football team reflects above all the extent to which the Iranian people hate and despise the ruling mullahs and want to overthrow them. They knew that the regime was trying to use the presence of its national teams at the World Cup to overshadow the ruthless way in which crushed a nationwide uprising that left 660 protesters, including at least 60 children, dead and 30,000 (arrested). was the regime so isolated in the eyes of the Iranian people who are as determined as ever to topple it.”
A dejected Saman Ghoddos of Iran as his team is eliminated from the FIFA World Cup in the group stage during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Iran and USA at Al Thumama Stadium on November 29, 2022 in Doha, Qatar
(Matthew Ashton/AMA/Getty Images)
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The The United States was also stirred Iran over the weekend when the U.S. Soccer Federation briefly removed the Islamic Republic’s emblem from its flag in a social media post in support of the protesters. Iran has called for the US to be banned from the tournament after the demonstrations.
Fox News’ Benjamin Weinthal and Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
