According to a new report, the families of players on Iran's World Cup soccer team were threatened with imprisonment and torture if they didn't want to play against the US on Tuesday.
A source told CNN that players were summoned to a meeting with members of the IRGC after they failed to sing the country's national anthem. The IRGC warned players that if they did not sing the national anthem or participate in a political protest against the Iranian government, their families would be subjected to violence and torture.
The team performed the nation's anthem before their game against Wales.
A source told CNN that players are not allowed to meet with foreigners during the World Cup and that there are a lot of Iranian security officers in the country.
According to reports, the Portuguese coach of Iran's team said that players can protest at the World Cup.
Widespread protests in Iran began on September 17 at the funeral of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested in Tehran by Iran's "morality police" for wearing her hijab too casually. Three days later, she died.
Iranian officials say Amini died of a heart attack, but her family says she was beaten while in custody. According to a lawyer for the family, doctors think she was beaten while in custody. Some women in Iran have publicly chopped off their hair in protest of her death.
More than 300 people have been killed in the protests in Iran.
The captain of Iran's national men's soccer team spoke out in support of the protesters.
Ehsan Hajsafi expressed his sympathies to the families who have died in Iran. They should be aware that we are with them. They are supported by us. We sympathize with their situation.
He said that the conditions in the country are not right. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't be their voice or that they shouldn't be respected.
Iran state media called for the United States to be kicked out of the World Cup after the United States Soccer Federation supported the anti-government protesters. The Iranian flag with no emblem of the Islamic Republic was put up for 24 hours to show support for the women in Iran.
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