@media.headlines: IRAN — The Iranian national football team has sparked widespread online debate after footage emerged of players performing a traditional Islamic ritual prior to their departure for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States. In a video circulating widely on social media, squad members were seen kissing the Quran as it was held over their heads before boarding their flight to Mexico. While many view the act as a standard cultural and religious tradition to seek safe travel and divine blessings ahead of the tournament, the display has deeply divided onlookers, with diaspora voices and critics framing the ritual as a regime-coerced compliance amid ongoing domestic resistance to mandatory religious displays.

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Sunday 07 June 2026 05:49:48 GMT