Iranian Goal Celebration Sparks Anger at Fans in Los Angeles

Iran drew 2-2 with New Zealand overnight, and Mohammed Mohebbi scored the equalizer for Iran. After the goal, the Rostov player made a gun-shooting gesture toward the American crowd and toward Iranian expatriates in the stadium in Inglewood, most of whom oppose the Iranian regime.

The celebration quickly triggered outrage on social media. Critics called Mohebbi “the regime’s favorite player,” said he should not be allowed to play again, and described the act as a provocation. One post alleged that his father works for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and that he pointed the gun gesture at fans waving the Lion and Sun flag.

Commentators said, “This is not a celebration, it is a threat,” adding that Iran is trying to instill fear and that FIFA must intervene. The incident came after a U.S. court overturned FIFA’s ban on displaying the Lion and Sun flag, the pre-1979 Iranian national emblem, at the match in Inglewood.