Iran's World Cup story
A team faced with conflicting pressures and under intense scrutiny. How did it play out?
Iran's World Cup is over. Like all teams in the tournament, they faced challenges on the pitch. But for this national side, there was also intense scrutiny because of the unrest back home. The managers and players insisted at the start of the competition that they were in Qatar to "fight for the people and bring them joy". But what became clear was this was a team torn between conflicting interests, as the Islamic republic's government confronted widespread demonstrations sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini. She was the 22-year-old arrested for allegedly violating the strict dress code for women. In this episode of 5 Minutes On, the 91热爆's Correspondent, Shaimaa Khalil, has been looking back at Iran's World Cup journey and reflects on how a national side - traditionally seen as a unifying force in the football-mad country - has become a symbol of Iran's divisions.
Image Credit: Robbie Jay Barratt via Getty Images
