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Iran declined to sing their nationalist anthem earlier their World Cup lucifer with England successful an evident look of enactment for anti-government protests successful their location country.
Some fans shouted and jeered during the anthem and others held up signs saying "Woman, Life, Freedom".
Iran brag Carlos Queiroz had said his players were "free to protest".
There has been a fierce crackdown connected protests successful Iran sparked by the death successful custody of Mahsa Amini successful September.
The 22-year-old Amini was detained by morality constabulary for allegedly breaking the strict rules astir caput coverings.
Human rights activists person said much than 400 protesters person been killed and 16,800 others arrested successful a crackdown by Iran's information forces.
Iran's leaders accidental the protests are "riots" orchestrated by the country's overseas enemies.
Iranian fans could besides beryllium heard chanting "Ali Karimi" successful the first-half successful notation to the erstwhile footballer who is 1 of the astir outspoken critics of the Islamic Republic and 1 of the astir fashionable faces of the protestation movement.
The fans could besides beryllium heard chanting "Be-Sharaf", which means dishonourable successful Persian. This is an adjective that protesters person utilized against information forces successful Iran.
Speaking earlier the crippled Iran skipper Ehsan Hajsafi said the players "support" those who person died.
Queiroz said his players were "free to protest" implicit women's rights successful their location state arsenic agelong arsenic it "conforms with the World Cup regulations and is successful the tone of the game".
Iran's players besides covered up their nationalist squad badge erstwhile they played 2 warm-up internationals successful September.
Speaking astir the incidental astatine half-time, BBC Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker said: "It was a almighty and very, precise important gesture.
"Football is trying to usage its powerfulness for good."
England beat Iran 6-2 successful the radical B game.
- Iran: A truly elemental usher to the protests
- Why England's gathering with Iran is simply a signifier for protest
'It was a lively shot game, but it was overmuch much than that' - Analysis
Shaimaa Khalil, BBC News, Doha
It was intolerable to flight the symbolic gestures successful the game. All of Iran's players refused to sing the nationalist anthem arsenic it sounded crossed the Khalifa International Stadium.
A instrumentality I spoke to was successful tears arsenic helium heard it successful the stands. "For my people…" helium told me, his dependable breaking. "They're sidesplitting my people."
Cheers for the Iranian broadside were large and relentless. "Iran. Iran" sounded with the bushed of a drum, adorned with the colours, the sanction and representation of the state painted connected it.
Women, with their hairsbreadth afloat connected show were wrapped with the Iranian flag, screamed each clip their squad got adjacent to the net. It was a lively shot game, but it was overmuch much than that.
In the oversea of Iranian and English flags, a pistillate stood with a tiny poster saying "Woman, Life, Freedom" successful solidarity with the protesters backmost successful her location country. She didn't privation to amusement her look oregon stock her name, but she did privation her connection to get across.
As I walked done the stands different Iranian instrumentality whispered to me: "Please archer our story. No pictures please. I privation to spell backmost to the state 1 time and I don't privation problems."
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