Key Points
- Iran's World Cup captain Ehsan Hajsafi told media conditions in Iran were "not right" and he hoped they would change.
- Hajsafi is the first player from Iran's national team to speak about the issue from the World Cup in Doha.
- Comedian Omid Djalili posted a video ahead of the England-Iran game urging payers to show support for Iranian women.
Ahead of Iran's first game at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, captain Ehsan Hajsafi has addressed the ongoing protests and turmoil in his home country in an apparent show of support for the anti-government movement.
Protests erupted in September when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died after being arrested by the morality police, and have continued over the past two months as women demand radical change to the country's theocratic regime.
Hundreds of protesters have reportedly been killed and thousands arrested as police attempt to put a stop to the uprising.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday night, Hajsafi described the conditions in Iran as "not right".
“We have to accept the conditions in our country are not right and our people are not happy,” he said.
“We are here but it does not mean we should not be their voice or we must not respect them."
Hajsafi is the first player from Iran's national team to speak about the issue from the World Cup in Doha.
Other members of the team have avoided discussion of politics in public so far.
“Whatever we have is from them. We have to fight," the defender said.
"We have to perform and score some goals to present the brave people of Iran with a result. I hope conditions change as to the expectations of the people.”
Omid Djalili urges England to show solidarity with Iran
On Sunday, Omid Djalili, a British comedian with Iranian heritage, shared a video urging the England team to show solidarity with Iranian women by making a gesture of cutting off their hair.
"My message to England players right now is you have a massive opportunity to do a very, very small gesture to make a massive global impact
"England players, Wales and USA players, when they score, if you just make this one simple statement of 'hair, snip,' that sends a huge message to the women and girls of Iran."
"Do the sign and save a life."
Djalili said he believed Iran should not have been allowed to participate in the World Cup.
"Iran is a terrorist state ... women aren't allowed to go to football matches ... (Iran) should have been thrown out of the World Cup," he said.
"They break every FIFA statute against anti-discrimination."
