World
Iran calls for the US to be banned from World Cup after social media flag row
American soccer’s governing body temporarily displayed Iran’s national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic Republic – as a show of solidarity with protesters.
The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) has now deleted the graphic which was posted across its official Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts.
But Iran says this is not enough and has called for America to withdraw from the football World Cup.
The Islamic Republic’s flag consists of three horizontal bands in red, white and green with the word “Allah” appearing in script in the middle.
According to a statement from the USSF, the word had been removed on the soccer federation’s posts, in a show of solidarity with the “women in Iran fighting for basic human rights” following the death of 22-year-old Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality police.
The Twitter account of the US men’s team displayed a banner with the squad’s matches in the group stage, with the Iranian flag only bearing its green, white and red colours.
The same was seen in a post on its Facebook and Instagram accounts laying out the point totals so far in its group.
By Sunday afternoon, the normal flag with the emblem had been restored in the Twitter banner and the Facebook and Instagram posts with the altered flag had been removed.
Iran’s team made a silent protest. Pic: AP Images
The US and Iran cut diplomatic relations in 1980.
The country’s football teams face each other in their final group-stage match on Tuesday, but a representative of Iran’s soccer federation on Sunday called for America to be expelled from the World Cup as a result of the issue it claimed had “disrespected” Iran’s flag.
Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts
Meanwhile, members of Iran’s football team refused to sing the country’s anthem at the start of their first game in the tournament against England also in support of the protesters back home – but they were warned they should sing it properly ahead of their second game against Wales.