Iran Allegedly Threatened Families of Soccer Players

On Tuesday, the safety of the Iranian team’s families was threatened if players didn’t behave at the match against the US in the World Cup series. According to CNN, a source involved in the game’s security told reporters that players families were threatened with “violence, imprisonment, and torture” if players refused to sing the Iranian national anthem again, or if they “joined in any political protest against the Tehran regime.”

The source told CNN that “dozens of officers from the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) had been drafted in to monitor the Iranian players who are not allowed to mingle outside the squad or meet with foreigners,” and called players into a meeting on November 21st following the match against England. In the meeting, players were then told the potential consequences of violence against their families. These threats followed the players’ protest against the “full-fledged human rights crisis” happening in their country. Neither the players, nor the coaches, have spoken out confirming or denying the threats made at them, but many believe they are being silenced. The Iranian team ended up losing the match against the United States, 0-1.