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Iranian man ‘shot dead’ for celebrating country’s World Cup loss to USA

Mehran Samak - Twitter
Mehran Samak - Twitter

An Iranian man was reportedly shot dead by security forces during celebrations over the country’s World Cup loss to arch-rivals the United States.

Iranian activists reported that 27-year-old Mehran Samak was killed in the early hours of Wednesday in the Caspian port city of Bandar Anzali, in a street where drivers were honking their horns in celebration of Iran’s loss.

Video of his funeral on Wednesday, published by BBC Persian, showed mourners chanting “You are the filth, you are the immoral, I am a free woman,” a slogan used by protesters angered over the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality police in September.

A widely shared screengrab reportedly of Samak’s last Instagram story suggested he had watched the politically charged game between the United States and Team Melli, as the Iran side is known.

“Tonight, regardless of any result, let’s just be together,” he had written.

The 10 weeks of protests that followed the death of Amini have polarised Iran’s World Cup challenge, dividing support for Team Melli, which until recently was an apolitical force that brought together pro-government and opposition Iranians inside the country and abroad.

Despite reports that the players have faced threats compelling them to avoid political gestures during the tournament, some anti-government Iranians believe the side has not done enough to speak out against a violent crackdown on protesters.

So when US forward Christian Pulisic's 38th-minute goal allowed his side to advance to the knockout stage, some Iranians were not disappointed.

In eastern Zahedan province, traffic halted as men and women danced together in the street. Fireworks were lit in Saqez, the hometown of Amini, and other cities in Kurdistan province. Celebrations were recorded in Kermanshah, West Azerbaijan, and Sistan-Baluchestan and even in areas of the capital Tehran.

“Who would’ve ever thought I’d jump three metres and celebrate America’s goal!” tweeted Iranian game journalist Saeed Zafarany after the loss.

Podcaster Elahe Khosravi also tweeted: “This is what playing in the middle gets you. They lost to the people, the opponent, and to these. #Mahsa_Amini.”

The United Nations has said at least 300 people have died since the protests started, with security forces arresting over 14,000 people and launching a campaign of death sentences.

Four people were sentenced to death on Wednesday for allegedly cooperating with the Israeli intelligence service and committing kidnappings, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

This came a day after UN-appointed independent expert on Iran Javaid Rehman said he expected more capital punishment after authorities “started a campaign of sentencing to death”.

“I’m afraid that the Iranian regime will react violently to the Human Rights Council resolution and this may trigger more violence and repression on their part,” he said, referring to a UN Human Rights Council vote to investigate the crackdown last week.