Why Iran didn't sing their national anthem

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In the lead up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar the manager of the Iran national team faced a dilemma; he threatened to resign if he wasn’t allowed to pick who he wanted to play without political interference.
But why would the Iranian regime want to have a say on who appears for the national football team?
James Montague explains what impact the treatment of women by Iran’s hated religious police has on football. Illustrated by Alice Devine.
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Music sourced from epidemicsound.com
Additional footage sourced from freestockfootagearchive.com
#WorldCup #Iran

[@alishahsavari2677]

I'm an Iranian and I confirm that every detail in this video is very accurate. Well done Tifo 👏👏👏

[@chancesareshewears]

no yer not, you are bot..

[@richuncho8265]

How do you feel about America?

[@alishahsavari2677]

@@richuncho8265 We love America and we're crazy about its pop culture

[@Pistolero007]

I’m Iranian. The heart of Iran is definitely not into American culture, we still have some pride I assure you all.

[@richuncho8265]

@@Pistolero007 So does the Average Irianian hate America and Americans? Or what?

[@HurryUpGrandma]

I will repeat my earlier comment. The Iranian player's bravery is remarkable and inspiring.

[@nochepatada]

Yes. This protests are not financed by USA because Iran is supplying Russia with weapons

[@dabage553]

I do not want to know what would happen when they return home. Or if they even return to their home at all.

[@hellohi1445]

@@dabage553 especially to players like azmoun. I don’t think protesters realise how risky it is for players to speak out.

[@mohammadehsanzolfaghari9558]

@@dabage553 I'll tell you what, nothing. cuz although we have problems, you are being lied to about Iran.

[@Saredar1422]

@@dabage553 bruh, nothing will happen, they sang it second time and win the game.

[@Tifo]

We decided to re-upload this. Originally, our illustration of Ali Karimi showed the wrong Ali Karimi, so we've put that right and re--published. Sorry about that - Tifo.

[@volakha]

cheers mate, your dedication to accuracy and correctness is very much appreciated 🙏

[@barry8730]

post about actual football, the world cup is on!!

[@brad1505]

It’s all good. I love watching your content ❤️⚽️

[@NotRealMusicRyan]

@@barry8730 they’ve constantly been posting about the World Cup and they’ll continue to… this stuff is important. They can post about both.

[@highnoon7097]

@@barry8730 yeah like there's not enough world cup content on KZbin already. There's 4 games tv on a day, you're being spoiled for football yet you some how find time to moan about this video. What a gammon you are.

[@Bagster321]

A well-written video Tifo. And I hope the people of Iran are able to finally ensure their right to freedom soon.

[@shaahinrapsong]

As an iranian protester i can say this video is 99% correct

[@pooyashirazi1991]

I have been following your channel before it was named Tifo. you guys are the best in the business but I can't even tell you how much this video means to me personally. as an Iranian, the way that you guys took the time to research every nuance of the situation and presented them here just means the world to me and honestly, brought tears to my eyes. thank you, just thank you Women Life Freedom

[@manutd7194]

I wish you and any Iranians that have lost someone my condolences and hope things get better. Stay safe out there.

[@homeusa1344]

You're not Iranian. It showed when you took the side of Iran's enemies.

[@OccupyMars2035]

@@homeusa1344 kose nanat mullah

[@OccupyMars2035]

@pooyashirazi3686 well said dadash!

[@chemz2582]

what was it before tifo

[@VishnuNairTV]

Well done, Tifo. This hasn't been spoken enough. I'm so glad you've covered it. 👏🏼

[@ehsanmoslehi4876]

As an Iranian, this sums up everything! As always, it's an amazing piece journalistic work from Tifo.

[@Eltuong]

Some people actually say keep politics out of football. You poor simpletons. If only we lived in an ideal word where that idea could even be a possibility. Football is beautiful when it's pure but that honestly rarely the case in our reality

[@erwinmoreno23]

Exactly. Everything popular is political. Only children playing in the park are protected from that and sometimes not even them

[@uncreative5766]

Seriously. Politics at any level are impacting our daily lives. It could be something as simple as church politics to who gets elected to run your school districts and your local government. To say that sports are exempt from this is incredibly naive. Even the politics of sports is what caused rampant FIFA corruption, be it the ExCo or something like MLB turning a blind eye to PED use in the late 90s to late 2000s.

[@1greenMitsi]

no, germany went woke and got eliminated

[@eyeSzn]

@@1greenMitsi so it's "woke" to support human rights?

[@1greenMitsi]

@@eyeSzn yes

[@henrymui1532]

As a Hong Kong person this video brought me into tears…

[@vaazig]

Fascism has a lot of ugly faces. My sympathies.

[@JohnM-sw4sc]

@@vaazig authoritarianism * don’t try to do what your trying to do

[@arjunsatheesh7609]

@@JohnM-sw4sc Please explain what is being "tried" because I honestly can't see much difference between fascism and authoritarianism.

[@itzsol23]

Going back to British colonial?

[@vaazig]

@@JohnM-sw4sc w what is that John? Am I allowed to mention the fascistic tendencies of our UK government, or will you get offended?

[@mehraskarim187]

Thank you so much for covering this story. I wish I could explain how grateful we (Iranians) are for the acknowledgements and the support we receive in our struggles for freedom :)

[@jelena5608]

Your struggles for American globalistic interes, shame on you

[@sinax1065]

Women | Life | Freedom ژن | ژیان | آزادی زن | زندگی | آزادی

[@benice898989]

Just returned from Qatar where the Qatar police removed all t-shirts and banners related to Women, Life, Freedom. They got my signs as well. They were cooperating with the IR dictators to silence the protesters.

[@thepr1ntgnome430]

cry 😭😭🤡

[@digvijaykole6746]

This is the punishment for changing its name from Persia to Iran

[@siaseeds8950]

Thank you for this insightful and accurate depiction. Here are a few updates: 1) They did sing the anthem for the game against Wales to fan's disappointment 2) Iranian government has sent "Fans" over with islamic republic flags and hijab to save face 3) At least one Iranian player has been found to have familial ties to the islamic republic 4) Qatari officials have collaborated with Iranian government to silence protestors as they do not want a similar uprising over women's rights in their country 5) There have been little to no celebration in Iran after the win against Wales

[@sharpe15_2]

6) An Iranian fan was killed after he celebrated Iran’s loss to the US by honking his car horn

[@siaseeds8950]

@@sharpe15_2 wow! Was that in Iran?

[@sharpe15_2]

@@siaseeds8950 yes

[@adamtabarra8481]

Which Iranian player has ties?

[@saramtdi]

Thanks for covering . We need the world’s support

[@TheMarslMcFly]

Ali Karimi is a big man. Whether it's the Bayern Player, or the current one.

[@highnoon7097]

Tifo's illustrations of players has really improved recently. They look almost photo realistic, especially Azmoun

[@metro-sn]

They are photos, with some halftone effects added. They use that sometimes instead of drawings.

[@highnoon7097]

@@metro-sn I find that very hard to believe.

[@chillaxboi2109]

@@highnoon7097 it's true

[@mehranmansoori6279]

This anthem is not the national anthem, its regime anthem, because it is representing the regime believes not the country.

[@espben360]

Thank you for correcting Ali karimi’s picture! This channel is genuinely one of the best when it comes to cover football and all aspects of it! You guys are the best, and can’t even tell you how much grateful Iranians are for this video, and how accurate everything is. Thank you

[@charlesray9674]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 Thank you. This was most informative and I've learned something, today.

[@kasra_mlg]

Tifo... Joe, Seb, JJ, Jon, (RIP Alex lol) producers Jamie, Don, Adonis... uncle Damien, Alice and all Tifo illustrators and other staff members... I have been following you guys here and in the IRL channel and the podcasts for almost 3-4 years, before you were a part of the Athletic team... I loved you all for your craft. But now... I have the utmost respect for you, forever and ever ❤ Woman, Life, Freedom

[@melikafekri3145]

Excellent report. Thank you for all your efforts and support.

[@BlaineGunn]

Heartbreaking stuff Proud of these players for taking a stand

[@notheories9012]

Tifo have been straight up smashing it with the videos recently! Another brilliant piece

[@ron9899]

Thank you so much for this video. ❤

[@salarsobhi8855]

Excellent video. Well thought out and presented.

[@sepehrjf]

As an Iranian and a long-time follower of your channel, I want to thank you for this video!

[@nargesesmaeili4903]

thank you for supporting us. this video has full of true information. thanks a lot

[@leeriddick7]

I’m assuming you re-uploaded this as you had the wrong Ali Karimi in the previous one?

[@justlikesnow8973]

it is a great work, tifo! 👏👏tnx

[@Carlos-wm6ev]

they sang the anthem in the second game against wales. probably they were threatened

[@mohammadehsanzolfaghari9558]

so that it would break out and revive the protests? of course they were not

[@margbarisrael]

they were. the government of the islamic republic is ruthless and will have no problem locking up players upon their return and don't care about the consequences either.

[@mohammadehsanzolfaghari9558]

@@margbarisrael no

[@parva135]

Thank you for this elaborate video essay. Many important and meaningful names and topics are mentioned. I just wish you could include two more names in it. One, Sahar Khodayari (The Blue Girl) who was arrested because of entering stadium and eventually self immolated in protest to the court. Second, Voria Ghafouri who like Masoud Shojaii supported women and later protests. He is in prison now.

[@networm64]

I double this comment!👍

[@Sunflower-md1id]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@zissou2265]

Thank you for covering this. We need all the eyes we can get. The revolution continues.

[@bubz1013]

Thank you for this video!!

[@oath3115]

And the fact that they sang the anthem in their second game clearly shows the thread and pressure on players by the government and the first game

[@farhad71414]

Thank you for making this video about iran, we don't get many coverage about what's going on iran

[@zahraashrafi1617]

Thank you Tifo for providing an accurate report of what's going on in Iran these days in relation to the IRA football team. Can't wait to see part 2 of this. We appreciate you!

[@user-lz5cf7yf5v]

Thank you for your great report ✌️✌️

[@gyanchudasama4412]

Great article by James!

[@delbariran5055]

thank you You had examined and addressed the freedom life women's movement from all aspects. For Iranian women, this move and your positive message is valuable. You are an influential person and your message will help this revolution a lot. Please continue to inform me.. Thanks again

[@hbeytollah]

Great video. Thank you Tifo.

[@JonasFilberg]

Very good information

[@fleezy1579]

Big respect to the Iran football team! Thank you for a good competitive match vs my Team USA. I respect you! Thank you Team Iran!

[@victor.ezekiel]

Great video! I always wondered why.

[@emadkazemi6141]

Thank you and well done Tifo

[@ajafari8522]

As an Iranian, I confirm all. Thanks for being our voice 💚🕊️💔

[@melikafekri3145]

Thank you for being Iranian people's voice.

[@hoo17manYT]

Thanks for the Video.

[@parisamadany9212]

Thank you so much🤝🏼♥️.

[@alirezaAtoZ]

Great video 🙌🙏

[@vaazig]

Awesome. Thanks for putting out the uncomfortable truth.

[@kimia6249]

Thanks a bunch ✊🏽

[@mkewl209]

They did sing for the US game, but everyone had dead eyes. There was no joy. They must have been threatened for their families threatened because those were not men proudly singing for their country.

[@aarrneshkapoor6159]

Kudos to you Tifo for using your platform to educate the people about events like these!

[@chancesareshewears]

it's called misinformation

[@ralfsstuff]

@@chancesareshewears pls elaborate?

[@jwinski]

Thank you, Tifo. Your style of journalism allows for football fans, especially in the USA, not prone to read Lowe and Goldblatt a digestible opportunity to learn about the sport-full stop-and the geopolitical context around the sport. ps Maybe release an unedited audio podcast for the American audience. We value authenticity more than polish, even when it’s silly.

[@tylersimmons6524]

I wonder what was said to them behind the scenes that resulted in them singing before the game vs Wales.

[@sepehr.javaheri]

That they would be expelled from the team and face charges for taking a stance against the corrupt and murderous anti-Iranian regime. The islamo-fascistic mullah regime is like a deadly plague, imposed on +90 million people! 😭🖤 Only solution is to exterminate the scum which has been killing kids to stay in power.. Women, Life, Freedom 🕊️ ✊💔🤍💚

[@Vazhaspa]

Actually it is not their real national anthem (Oh Iran!) but a score imposed the nation by the ruling clergymen praising the Ayatullah

[@ronaldmadziro5679]

Wow this channel is hitting the high notes now,touching on some very hot topics in football and geopolitics. The match between US and Iran will be most politically charged match in a long time.

[@natangweiitula]

Can you make a video on short corners?

[@kasra_mlg]

James Montageu you are a legend ❤ Zan, Zendegi, Azadi

[@SaharHP]

Thank you for cover our story🖤🖤

[@coachhbosoccer]

To the tone deaf around the world......this is why it just not smart to suggest "shut up and play"

[@daniboy9891]

iranian protester here im a hardcore LFC fan love and peace be upon all of you in athletic we the ppl of iran will bring doom to our totalitarian homicidal islamic republic regime who is killing innocent ppl in iran and ukraine please spread the word of our revolution ♥️✌️

[@eminemfaanpage9734]

great job dude 👏

[@PersianImm0rtal]

Thank you for being our voice. Down with Khamenei and the Islamic regime. Free IRAN!

[@FOOTBALLZONE13]

well done❤

[@paxindonesiana]

Reupload?

[@tdhiatt52]

As always A++ stuff

[@williamthompson2941]

Nice one

[@thomasdunne5101]

The books is fantastic already have it

[@dreamcaster12]

You have also to remember that quatar will try to mute the protest because they want no negative impact on their worldcup as host

[@shan.arezoo]

Thank you for covering✊🏻🤍

[@fat_man4578]

Wait a minute did you you made a vedio saying that you will boycott the world cup?

[@amirsadeghnikoo68]

very accurate 👌

[@andrewhart6200]

I hopeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee we support the players from Iran tomorrow SOMEHOW!!!! If we can kneel for Black Lives Matter then we can also support the Iranians and their struggle against their own government!

[@sepehr.javaheri]

Thanks for the support, hopefully we'll be able to expel ambassadors, diplomats and other representatives of the corrupt and murderous, anti-Iranian, islamo-fascistic regime! For human rights, freedom, equality, prosperity etc. 🤞 For Women, Life, Freedom 🕊️💚🤍💔

[@marshalari240]

Woman, life, freedom 👊🏻✌️

[@BENBOU47]

It's shameful how the western press is using the Iranian players in a political game why they don't leave this matter to the players themselves if they want to express the situation back home none is silencing them you know they have families back home they're worried about it's easy to criticize the Iranian regime when you are an outsider have none to fear for

[@BigNews2021]

How so? Reporting on what's happening is what the press is suppose to do.

[@sepehr.javaheri]

They are being silenced though, the regime always sends agents to monitor the squad no matter the sport. Don't speak out of ignorance...

[@Pygmygerbil88]

thanks for being our voice

[@soniabagheri]

Thank you 🤍

[@LordWay]

Good luck to the iranian people the world is watching the atrocities that are happening over there

[@Ace-3.]

God bless everyone and have a good day,,

[@hamzacastro5717]

Why delete the original one? Kindly help me understand

[@andrasszabo1570]

They had the wrong picture for the wrong Ali Karimi.

[@hamzacastro5717]

Ooh...!Thank you

[@dsouza7206]

In their second match they sang national anthem and also celebrated scores

[@babotobati2745]

god bless Iranian people but not the Iranian government

[@mumindanmallam]

This is what Germany should protesting about not confused people

[@testadalord01432]

king (noun): 1. Sardar Azmoun

[@_Kh.sara_]

Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu🥹😭💔

[@yoshimeier3060]

The only team I am cheering for.

[@Harrymaguirenolookdefence]

PoV: they just didn’t know it

[@SyedAliNaqvi9]

I am looking forward to your videos on migrant workers being exploited in the UK, Europe, America and Australia, etc..... I am a migrant worker in Australia, and I would love to tell you about several topics and details on being racially abused as well as workplace mistreatments/ exploitation. I also have several of my really close friends in America and England as well, so I can also provide some insight into that as well.

[@Savalanoghlu]

How is this Tifo related?

[@SyedAliNaqvi9]

@Ali G Its football stadium jobs where all this exploitation happens

[@Savalanoghlu]

@@SyedAliNaqvi9 No. Not in Australia. So it is irrelevant to Tifo.

[@ashleyw6728]

Good on them

[@mohammadrabie8420]

Well done

[@marshalari240]

Freedom for Iran ✌️

[@emilietismieluz7850]

i am an 8 year old girl i went to iran to become an adult at 9 and marry a 15 year old. In Iran, women come of age at 9 and boys at 15.

[@sepehr.javaheri]

That's islamic gov. 🤮😭 We will get rid of Islamic rule, Iranians oppose their immoral laws and commands!

[@sukhdevr3489]

Joe seems so educated about football in these commentary videos but in the podcast he asks if Foden is left footed lol.

[@muhammedgamal5871]

Now no one cares, it was just the effect of events on social media

[@thegreatest1176]

Even Tifo football is pushing for a regime change, wow

[@nochepatada]

This has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with Iran supplying Russia with drones

[@tiagopaim3060]

I'm rooting for Iran now

[@DeusexmachinaChutzpahSipahiAsh]

Tifo is beautiful

[@Jackisaboss1208]

As an American, part of me is routing for Iran tomorrow. I feel like it could do a lot of good for their people

[@walldrama3881]

Trust me it can not. As an Iranian I am rooting for USA just like I rooted for England and Wales. Because if Iran wins the regime uses this success to further spread its propoganda. This is the last thing you want to happen in a war of narratives. We fought a lot for the past several years and especially in the past couple of months to change the way the world perceives Islamic Republic regime and we don't want to go back to square one.