Iran complain to FIFA over removal of Islamic Republic symbol in US social posts

The Iranian Football Federation has complained to FIFA about the United States removing the Islamic Republic symbol from the Iran flag in some social media posts.

Ahead of nations’ Group B meeting at the World Cup on Tuesday, the US infuriated their opponents by posting altered images of Iran’s flag.

Iran’s Tasnim News Agency said its country’s football federation would be filing a complaint to FIFA’s ethics committee and outlined theoretical sanctions.

Quoted by Tasnim, legal adviser Safia Allah Faghanpour said: “Respecting a nation’s flag is an accepted international practice that all other nations must emulate.

“The action conducted in relation to the Iranian flag is unethical and against international law.”

The Islamic Republic News Agency called the United States’ social media posts “a hostile and provocative move”.

On the alteration of the flag, a United States Soccer Federation told the Athletic: “Clearly the decision we made was to show support for the women in Iran. That stands.

“This is our decision, not anyone else’s or pressure from anyone else.”

There are widespread anti-government protests in Iran sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in custody in September having been detained for allegedly failing to follow the country’s Islamic dress code.

Iran Human Rights reported this week that at least 416 people have been killed by security forces in the ongoing nationwide protests, with Iran international Voria Ghafouri among the 15,000-plus arrested.