January 4 – Iranian authorities have accused the United Kingdom of plotting for the Iran team to defect on the pitch during the World Cup in Qatar.
Iran’s sports minister, Hamid Sajjadi, made the allegations to the Iranian parliament without providing any evidence,according to The Guardian newspaper.
Labelling the UK as the “Old Fox”, Sajjadi told MPs that the UK had attempted “the height of sedition” by encouraging Iran’s players to walk off the pitch but that the plot had been foiled.
Sajjadi’s remarks were apparently part of a failed attempt to stave off an MPs’ vote of censure against him for the state of the national game.
Iran, whose players refused to sing the national anthem in their opening game in a display of defiance against the country’s autocratic regime, failed to get past the group stage.
Scores of Iranians, including several prominent footballers, have been subjected to harassment by Iran’s security services for supporting nationwide protests sparked by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini for not wearing her hijab correctly.
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