Clashes Among Iranians During Belgium Match

Hundreds of people protested against the Iranian government during the World Cup match between Belgium and Iran. While there were a few verbal altercations and clashes after the game, the protests were smaller in scale compared to Iran's first match, and security presence was heightened from the outset.

The clashes occurred between individuals protesting the Iranian government and those attending the match in Iranian national team jerseys. The verbal sparring between US and Iranian officials also continued. World Cup hosts reported that a senior official from the Iranian Football Federation, closely linked to the country's Revolutionary Guard, was prevented from entering the country.

The Iranians denied any such attempt was made, reiterating that their delegation had been minimized to just 53 people, while other teams were allowed 130. They argued that under these circumstances, there could be no talk of equal footing.