Iran calls for U.S. expulsion from the World Cup claiming it 'disrespected' flag

Iran woman, life, freedom banner
(Image credit: FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran's soccer federation has called for the U.S. to be expelled from the World Cup, claiming that the country "disrespected" Iran's flag in social media posts. The U.S. Soccer Federation, in a now-deleted post, included a graphic of the Iranian flag without the emblem of the Islamic Republic, drawing ire from Iran, CNN reports.

The U.S. reportedly removed the emblem in support of the women protesting in Iran. It specified that it was a "one-time graphic," and that the unaltered flag is present everywhere else in its media. "The United States continues to find ways to support the Iranian people in the face of state-sponsored violence against women," the U.S. State Department told CNN.

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Devika Rao, The Week US

 Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.