Iranian fans at the stadium in Qatar looked glum after their soccer defeat Tuesday, but there were cheers in the streets back home, where protesters hailed the loss as a strike against the Islamic regime.
The 1-0 defeat eliminated Iran from the World Cup, which had become the latest flashpoint in anti-government protests following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran’s morality police.
Social media footage showed people honking their horns and chanting in Tehran and Kurdish regions following the defeat. Other videos showed fireworks and dancing.
“I am happy, this is the government losing to the people,” a celebrator in a Kurdish region told CNN, which withheld the person’s name for security reasons.