Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

In protest-riven Iran, some celebrate U.S. World Cup victory

Iran's Sadegh Moharrami lies on the pitch as teammates check on him during the World Cup group B soccer match between Iran and the United States at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Iran's Sadegh Moharrami lies on the pitch as teammates check on him during the World Cup group B soccer match between Iran and the United States at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Share
BAGHDAD -

Soccer fans in Iran's Kurdish region set off fireworks and honked car horns early Wednesday to celebrate the U.S. win over the Iranian national team in a politically charged World Cup match that divided the protest-riven country.

Cheering fans hit the streets in Iran's Kurdish-majority province of Kurdistan and fireworks lit the skies over the Bukan area of West Azerbaijan province to celebrate the Iranian team's 1-0 loss.

Some shouted "Death to the dictator," a popular protest slogan referring to the Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Kurdish areas of Iran have been hot spots of ongoing anti-government demonstrations.

The protests first erupted in September, following the death of a young Kurdish woman in the custody of Iran's morality police in the capital of Tehran.

The protests quickly morphed into the most serious challenge to Iran's theocracy since its establishment in the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iranian authorities have blamed foreign actors, chiefly the U.S., for orchestrating the protest movement, but have provided no evidence.

Iran's Kurdish-majority areas have seen waves of unrest amid nationwide protests against the government. The national team's loss to the United States was seen by some as a victory against what they see as oppression by the government.

Even in areas of Tehran some chanted protest slogans following the U.S. win.

Videos posted online showed cars out on the streets of Saqqez, the capital of Kurdistan province, and the home town of Mahsa Amini, the young woman died in police custody in September.

But not everyone was cheering. Parham Azmand, a soccer fan in Tehran, said the Iranian team had done its best.

"We worked very hard but we couldn't score although we did whatever we could," he said. "This was their day (the Americans). Our players did their best and I hope we will perform better in future world cups and God willing go through to the second round."

Following the match, state TV commentator Mohammad Hossein Misaghi said the U.S. took advantage of "many opportunities" in the match.

"It was not our day," said another commentator, Mohammadreza Ahmadi. He brushed off the defeat, saying "a match is like that; it has win and loss."

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

An Edmonton man says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was injured by members of the Edmonton Police Service last year.

The brother of a 27-year-old man who was fatally shot in Scarborough over the weekend has been arrested and charged in connection with his death, say police.

Ontario's police watchdog has decided there are no grounds to believe Sudbury police committed a crime during a difficult arrest in May where the suspect's neck was broken.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected