Nov 26, 2022 | The Iranian football team's refusal to sing their national anthem was bigger news than the scoreline in their first match. But they were singing again ahead of their 2-nil win over Wales, following alleged pressure from the government. It is just one sign of the huge risks Iranian people are taking to show their dissent - at a World Cup increasingly overshadowed by human rights issues. But Iranians are not limiting their protests to stadiums in Qatar. Demonstrations continue in Iran - with several taking place in Tehran and other cities on Saturday, according to social media. Activists say security forces opened fire on a crowd gathered in the city of Zahedan in the southeast after Friday prayers. Dozens are feared dead or wounded. In a speech on Saturday, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised the Basij militias that have been at the heart of the government crackdown.
