An Iranian man was shot useless by the safety forces after celebrating when the United States eradicated his nation’s nationwide workforce from the World Cup, rights teams stated on Wednesday. Iran was knocked out of the World Cup by the United States in Qatar on Tuesday night time, drawing a blended response from pro- and anti-regime supporters. Many had refused to assist the nationwide workforce in response to a bloody authorities crackdown on greater than two months of protests sparked by the dying in custody of Mahsa Amini.

Mehran Samak, 27, was shot useless after honking his automobile horn in Bandar Anzali, a metropolis on the Caspian Sea coast northwest of Tehran, human rights teams stated.

Samak “was targeted directly and shot in the head by security forces… following the defeat of the national team against America”, stated Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR).

The New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) additionally reported that he had been killed by the safety forces whereas celebrating. There was no quick touch upon the incident from the Iranian authorities.

In a rare twist, Iranian worldwide midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi, who performed within the US match and is from Bandar Anzali, revealed he knew Samak and posted an image of them collectively in a youth soccer workforce.

“After last night’s bitter loss, the news of your passing set fire to my heart,” stated Ezatolahi on Instagram, describing Samak as a “childhood teammate”.

He didn’t touch upon the circumstances of his pal’s dying however stated: “Some day the masks will fall, the truth will be laid bare.”

He added: “This is not what our youth deserve. This is not what our nation deserves.” Ezatolahi, distraught on the consequence, had been seen after the ultimate whistle being comforted each by his teammates and the US gamers.

Tense funeral

Iran’s workforce have been underneath intense scrutiny on the World Cup, not singing the nationwide anthem of their first match however doing so in two subsequent ones, amid stories of strain from the authorities to not present assist for the protests.

The CHRI revealed a video from Samak’s funeral on Wednesday at which mourners might be heard shouting “Death to the dictator”. The chant geared toward Iran’s supreme chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is likely one of the fundamental slogans of the protests that flared after Amini’s dying in custody on September 16.

IHR stated that the authorities had refused at hand the physique over to the household, whereas BBC Persian stated the funeral in Bandar Anzali had gone forward with out prior announcement and with a heavy safety presence in a bid to keep away from main incidents.

Iran’s safety forces have killed not less than 448 individuals within the crackdown on the protests, together with 60 kids underneath the age of 18 and 29 girls, in line with IHR. An Iranian normal stated on Monday that greater than 300 individuals have been killed within the unrest.

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