Iran captain speaks of respect for LGBT people after Pride Match

Iran captain Mehdi Taremi spoke of respect for LGBT people after his team played Egypt during Seattle’s “Pride Match” at the World Cup.

“We respect all of the LGBT people,” Taremi told reporters after the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

“That’s their own idea. It’s not about us. We are here to play football. We respect all of those guys.”

Seattle’s local organizing committee, which is separate from FIFA, planned last year for the June 26 match to be Pride-themed to coincide with the city’s annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. In December, Iran and Egypt were drawn to play each other on that date, sparking pushback from both countries.

Both countries complained to FIFA in December and asked that the celebrations be canceled.

Iran and Egypt are two of the most repressive countries for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Same-sex relations are illegal in Iran, where gay men have been executed on sodomy charges, while Egypt has prosecuted gay and lesbian people and suppressed outward expressions of gay pride, including rainbow flags.

In a statement earlier on Friday, Iran’s federation said it had made its position clear to FIFA in multiple letters and meetings and was assured “that no ceremonies or promotional activities related to this issue will take place inside the stadium or as part of the official match programme.”

“Iran and Egypt are two Muslim countries with deep cultural and religious commonalities, and the views expressed by both federations reflect the shared values and beliefs of the people of the two nations,” Iran’s federation said.

In January, FIFA president Gianni Infantino sought to distance Seattle’s Pride celebrations from the match, saying there “will be no ‘Pride Match’ at the World Cup” and events organized by other organizations have “nothing to do with the match itself.”

Pride celebrations during the match were low-key. The pre-match festivities on the field did not include any references to Pride, though people waved rainbow flags, wore Pride Match scarves, while others had painted their faces with rainbows.

This is a developing story. More to follow.