Iran's World Cup players sing anthem before beating Wales
The Iranian soccer team declined to sing the anthem at their first match, but were then faced with potential legal repercussions.
The Iranian men’s soccer team scored a win at the World Cup in Doha today in a politically charged atmosphere.
Iran defeated Wales 2-0 after losing badly to England on Monday. They will face the United States next Tuesday for their final match in group play. Iran is seeking to advance to the round of 16 for the first time ever. The top two teams from each group make it to the next round.
Why it matters: The Iranian soccer team has said publicly that they are focused on winning and not the ongoing anti-government protests in the country. However, ahead of the match against England, the players notably did not sing their national anthem.
The team may have faced threats for not singing. Iranian judiciary spokesman Massoud Setayeshi said the same day as the England match that insulting the Islamic Republic’s anthem is a punishable offense, the London-based Iran International reported.
