Before the World Cup game between U.S. and Iran, the Iranian government threatened to torture and imprison the Iranian players’ families if they “misbehave.”

The Iranian team stirred up trouble when they refused to sing their national anthem during their game against England. Because of this, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) called a meeting with them. As a result, dozens of IRGC officers were ordered to monitor the team to ensure they were not interacting with anyone outside the group. 

The Iranian Government has denied basic human rights to their people, especially women. It was incredibly brave for the Iranian men’s soccer team to speak out against their totalitarian government. They were a voice for all Iranians that are being oppressed.

I, like many others, am very appreciative for the courage that the Iran soccer team showed. It inspires us all to not be afraid to stand up to those in a higher power.