Many Iranians chose not to support their national football team during the tournament in Qatar because they viewed it as a symbol of the Islamic Republic, the BBC reported.
Videos posted online showed protesters across the country, particularly in the Kurdish northwest of Iran, publicly cheering after the team were knocked out of the competition. Among them was Mehran Samak, a 27-year-old reportedly shot in the head after honking his car horn in celebration of the defeat.
A video obtained by BBC Persian appeared to show mourners at his funeral on Wednesday chanting an anti-regime slogan: “You are the filth, you are the immoral, I am a free woman.”
In Sanandaj, protesters were filmed dancing along to music, while in Kermanshah and Marivan they were heard chanting the popular slogan “Woman, life, freedom.”
State-affiliated media accused forces inside and outside of Iran of being unfair to the national team and putting pressure on the players.
Nov. 29, Behbahan, Khuzestan. The brutes of the Islamic Republic shooting at Iranians celebrating the loss of the Islamic Republic’s team in #FIFAWorldCup #MahsaAmini pic.twitter.com/EVqmzve6j5
— 1500tasvir_en (@1500tasvir_en) November 30, 2022
Iranian officials deny killing peaceful protesters but videos posted on 1500tasvir, a social media channel for opposition activists, appear to show security forces opening fire on people in Behbahan and assaulting a woman in Qazvin.
At least 30 people were shot and wounded by security forces while celebrating the World Cup defeat in Marivan, Sanandaj, Kermanshah, Saqqez, Ilam and Bukan, according to Kurdish human rights group Hengaw.
