“I’ll kill you!” - a rent-a-foreigner Islamic Republic supporter threatens Iranian fans.
The Islamic Republic not only uses foreign mercenaries to suppress and kill Iranians, it also brings them into stadiums to threaten and intimidate Iranian fans.
Outside the stadium, this Pakistani supporter of the Islamic Republic was there provoking Iranian fans, hurling insults, making threats, and behaving aggressively.
Funny how he claims Iranians “want to be white,” yet he tries so hard to present himself as Iranian and pass himself off as one. Who’s the one with the identity crisis?
My experiences at the stadium yesterday (I was tired from same-day long flight so I may have missed a few things.):
• There were lots of Shir-o-Khorshid flags and shirts in the stadium, which was great to see. Despite the “ban”, it was nice to see so many on display. Freedom of speech matters in the USA.
• Compared to Islamic Republic-friendly Qatar in 2022, the difference was noticeable. Back then, I saw with my own eyes that there were binders at the admission gates listing prohibited items, including Shir-o-Khorshid flags. The security there was hostile and scrutinizing every flag and article of clothing. This time, there were no such binders or checks beyond normal security screening.
• The fans carrying Shir-o-Khorshid flags were supporting Team Melli throughout the match. From what I saw, they were there to support Iran and enjoy the game.
• The Islamic Republic anthem was loudly booed throughout the stadium.
• I didn’t witness any major arguments or confrontations, although I know videos of disputes are circulating online. I’m only speaking about what I personally saw inside and around the stadium.
• The only issue I witnessed involved an older Islamic Republic supporter sitting in the row behind me causing a disturbance and getting what I believe was his grandson to go to security and complain about nearby fans with Shir-o-Khorshid flags, claiming the flags were banned. Security told him to relax and made it clear they were not going to remove anyone’s flag.
• Ironically, a few minutes later, those same Islamic Republic supporters were told to leave because they were sitting in the wrong seats. 👏
• The woman sitting behind me, wearing a regular Iran shirt, was ecstatic when they left. She told me she felt their presence beside her and her two sons had been a bad omen and was relieved to see them go.
• The atmosphere was electric from start to finish. SoFi Stadium is one of the nicest stadiums I’ve ever been to and was an amazing place to watch a World Cup match.
• Like what I saw in Qatar 2022, you can spot an Islamic Republic supporter from a mile away. Ugly to the bone. They always look mangled and angry (physiognomy is real in this case).
A note - I encourage Iranian fans and Shir-o-Khorshid patriots to attend these matches and bring their flags.
In my view, it’s a missed opportunity that some have chosen to boycott the national team when these events provide a chance to make their voices heard in front of the world.
Boycotting only silences your own voice. It’s a self-inflicted loss of an opportunity to be seen and heard.
Overall, it was a positive experience. Fans were there to support Team Melli. It was great to see so many Shir-o-Khorshid flags in the stadium and to see people expressing themselves freely without the issues we saw in Qatar.
The result was disappointing, but the atmosphere and the passion of the Iranian fans made it a memorable.