00:00Before a single ball was kicked at this World Cup, Iran almost wasn't here due
00:06to tensions with the United States of America. Eventually they came. They came
00:13with a lot of issues. Officials not getting their visas, place being for
00:19the scrutinize, security or before even flying to the country, having to be based
00:24in Turkey for a long time before they flew to Mexico and the worst part in
00:29their recent match. Right after the game they had to fly immediately to Mexico to
00:35which their coach Amir Galanoi said this is oppressive. Madi Taremi said this is
00:42not what we want to go through but we have to go through as players. This isn't
00:45good but we are donning the badge of our country to make them proud. Iran's
00:50situation in this World Cup has to be spoken, has to be thought about because
00:55at the end of the day football is meant to be a unifying factor. Even
00:59FIFA president Gianni Infantino made a promise to these players in a press
01:04conference by saying that if I had to get on a bus to Tehran and drive them here
01:08myself I will do that. And after their game he even met them at
01:13rushing home saying that I'm going to be there for you guys, support you all. But
01:16eventually they were immediately sent back to Mexico. That to me is oppressive
01:20because these players are here to play football, not to spread any kind of
01:24ideology, not to spread some kind of tension. They just want to be there to play
01:27football for their proud nation and yet they're being subjected to such
01:32stringent measures. Not just Iran but many other countries have faced visa issues
01:37and so on. But why we are picking out on Iran is the fact that these players
01:41despite the issues they're still playing the game that they love and at the end
01:46of the day football is a game that is meant to unify everyone. A World Cup is
01:50supposed to be a stage where all the teams are treated the same. Treated the same in the sense that
01:56they are hosted well. Their rest is being rewarded well. Recovery is done well. A lot of things. And yet,
02:03compared to all the teams, Iran has been subjected to extra scrutiny because of tensions with the United States.
02:12And then there is Mahdi Terami, the captain of the team, who actually said this.
02:18We are here for all Iranians. Differences and disagreements exist in every country. That is normal.
02:24But as footballers we are here to bring everyone together. We are not connected to any political group or faction.
02:30Our only objective is to unite. Football does not care about sanctions. It doesn't care about missiles or ceasefires or
02:37diplomatic cables.
02:38On that pitch, it is not politics. It is love for the game. And for Terami, we can do better.
02:46And I think the world should do better for players like Terami and others.
02:49I can do this.
02:51I think it is a lot more than me.
02:57Thank you for listening.
02:59Thank you, so much for watching.
02:59Thank you, so many of you.
03:00Connect.
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