Iran players' families 'threatened with violence and torture' ahead of World Cup match against USA

The families of the Iranian national football team have been threatened with 'violence and torture' if the World Cup squad does not 'behave' during their final group stage match against the USA, a source has claimed.

In their opening World Cup fixture against England the Iranian players refused to sing their national anthem in a show of solidarity with the anti-regime protests currently being held in the country.

There were also boos from Iran fans in the stands during the anthem, while others held up signs saying 'woman, life, freedom'.

The protests in Iran against the country's ruling regime were sparked in September by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for not correctly wearing her hijab.

The hijab has been compulsory for women since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and the country has 'morality police' to enforce the strict dress code.

Police claimed the 22-year-old woman died of a heart attack, but eyewitnesses claimed they saw that she had been severely beaten and ever since then Iranians have been rising up to protest against their country's regime.

Shutterstock

Those protests have extended to the World Cup as fans have been spotted at the World Cup holding up shirts bearing Mahsa Amini's name, while the Iran players stayed silent for their national anthem in their first match.

According to CNN, that show of silence resulted in the players having a meeting with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, where they were told their families would face 'violence and torture' if they continued refusing to sing the national anthem.

The players then sang the Iranian national anthem during their next World Cup fixture, a 2-0 win against Wales.

Initial promises of 'presents and cars' to the players if they toed the line during the World Cup were made ahead of the game against England, but after refusing to sing the national anthem promises of gifts for the players were replaced with threats of violence against their families.

CNN reports that Iranian security officers were in Qatar 'collecting information and monitoring the players'.

Shutterstock

Thousands have taken to the streets during the protests in Iran, with women cutting their hair and burning their headscarves in protest.

Riot police have killed protesters in retaliation, opening fire on crowds of people who went out and called for change.

Demonstrations against the Iranian government have been held throughout successive generations, with schoolgirls and seniors alike calling for an end to the repressive regime.

Last month hackers took over Iranian state TV to endorse the protests while the channel was showing footage of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

• President Trump slams World Cup ticket prices saying he 'wouldn't pay'
• Iran team hits back at Trump after president made ominous claim about 'safety' at World Cup
• Trump makes threat to Iran ahead of important nuclear deal talks
• FIFA addresses fears of Mexico hosting World Cup following cartel violence and unrest