World Cup: Here’s Why Protesters Celebrated Iran’s Defeat vs. USA

Iranian protesters celebrated their country's recent World Cup defeat at the hands of team USA as many are concerned about the safety of the former team's players and if they would be able to go home.

The nation's elimination from the global tournament held in Qatar ended the campaign that was overshadowed by anti-government protests at home that have been ongoing for several months. The concerns for the well-being of the players of the Iranian team stem from their refusing to sing their country's national anthem before their first game.

Iran's World Cup Loss

The situation was an apparent show of solidarity with demonstrators at home. The families of the team's members were also threatened with imprisonment and torture prior to the match at the World Cup, said a source involved in the security of the games.

Citizens from various Iranian cities celebrated from the confines of their homes and residential buildings in the moments after the final whistle of the World Cup game. Video footage shared on social media platforms showed people inside their cars honking their homes, chanting, and whistling, as per CNN.

Many Iranian citizens celebrated the national team's loss in the World Cup as a significant blow to the ruling regime. On Wednesday, one witness to celebrations in a city in the Kurdish region said that they were happy that the government was losing to its people.

Hengaw, a Norway-based Iranian rights group, posted several videos of similar scenes across the nation. In a social media post, the group said that people in Paveh were celebrating the country's national team losing to America in the World Cup and were chanting "Down with Jash," with Jash translating to traitors.

According to NBC News, a New York-based Iranian journalist and activist, Masih Alinejad, posted on Twitter saying that for 43 years, the country's ruling regime brainwashed Iranians to hate America. But he also noted how the people of Iran celebrated Team USA's win over their own representatives, who citizens have argued play for the Islamic Republic and not Iran.

Islamic Republic of Iran

Hichkas, a dissident Iranian whose real name is Soroush Laskhari, wrote on social media that videos of Iranians celebrating the Islamic Republic team's loss were all over the internet. He added that true Iranian citizens do not consider the terrorist regime to be Iranian.

The country's short-lived attendance at the World Cup in Qatar was filled with complex questions regarding loyalty and national identity. One of these was whether or not the roughly 85 million people of Iran should support a team that bore the name "Islamic Republic of Iran," which was known to enforce brutal tactics to crush protests.

The protests in Iran began after the death of 22-year-old Kurdish Mahsa Amini on Sept. 16 while in the custody of law enforcement officials. The individual was arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly under the nation's stringent laws.

Qatar has staked its reputation on delivering a smooth World Cup performance, increasing security at Iran games, and banning some items that authorities deemed inflammatory, including Iran's pre-1979 Islamic revolution flag, Reuters reported.