Internal security threats against the families of Iran’s national team players
The families of the players in the football teams present at the Qatar World Cup have played a significant role in boosting the players’ morale and highlighting national identity and football fandom. After many matches, we’ve seen players go to the stands to spend a few moments with their family members present at the stadium. Achraf Hakimi’s kiss on his mother’s hand was one of the emotional and historic moments of this tournament.
Such scenes have not been much observed with our national team, and there is no news of their families in the stadium. Even if they have been present, there has been no sign of family support and enthusiasm allowed to be reported within the stadium.
In the hours leading up to the decisive match between Iran and Qatar, sports and non-sports journalists are covering the situation of the national team and the spectators, continuing the trend of media coverage of Iran’s presence in the World Cup since the beginning. Security news sources have provided CNN reporters with new information about serious threats against the families of Iranian players inside Iran. According to this, Iranian players have been threatened that they must adhere to specific security protocols set for their match against the USA, or else their families will be in danger.
