It is a flag whose colors resemble the official flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran – red, white and green – but in the center it has a lion and sun symbol, which was removed after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Then Iran abandoned the monarchical system, and the new regime placed the emblem of the Islamic Republic and Islamic inscriptions on the flag.
For many members of the Iranian diaspora, the old flag has remained a symbol of national identity and resistance to the regime in Tehran. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, many Iranian fans brought pre-revolutionary flags to matches against England, Wales and the USA in the group stage of the competition.
However, some of them at the entrances of the stadium encountered prohibitions – some were not allowed to bring in flags, while others had objectionable banners and messages against the Iranian regime. At that time, Qatar maintained close diplomatic relations with Iran, and back in 2017, the Qatari and Iranian football federations signed a memorandum of cooperation with the aim of strengthening mutual relations.
The move took on added weight as it came just months after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism, which Doha has vehemently denied.
During the tournament in Qatar, FIFA also received complaints related to human rights. Iranian cheerleaders have claimed that they fear that the stadiums have observers linked to the Iranian authorities who monitor fans and people who publicly protest against the regime.
(Vijesti.ba)
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