Sunday 25 September 2022 01:20 AM How Iranian FA tried BANNING our journalist from reporting a World Cup warm-up ... trends now

Sunday 25 September 2022 01:20 AM How Iranian FA tried BANNING our journalist from reporting a World Cup warm-up ... trends now
Sunday 25 September 2022 01:20 AM How Iranian FA tried BANNING our journalist from reporting a World Cup warm-up ... trends now

Sunday 25 September 2022 01:20 AM How Iranian FA tried BANNING our journalist from reporting a World Cup warm-up ... trends now

Iran's latest chilling attack on freedom of speech: How Ayatollahs tried BANNING our reporter from reporting a World Cup warm up match after latest hijab protest over death of woman in police custody MOS reporter Ian Herbert told he couldn't attend Iran vs Uruguay football match Ban lifted at 11th hour after Iranian FA under pressure from football authorities  During match on Friday two men were ejected for holding image of Mahsa Amini Protests have erupted across Iran and around world after the death of Ms Amini

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Iran tried to block a Mail on Sunday reporter from attending an international football match on European soil in a chilling attack on freedom of speech.

Match organisers in Austria informed journalists that the decision to ban them 'was made by the Iranian FA' amid attempts from the authoritarian state to suppress coverage of widespread protests.

The ban was lifted at the 11th hour after the Iranian FA came under pressure from footballing authorities to allow journalists and fans into the game – a friendly between Iran and Uruguay.

During the match, peaceful protesters were frog-marched out of the stadium by Austrian police for demonstrating against the death of a 22-year-old Iranian woman in police custody.

Mailman Ian Herbert said: 'I've been writing about sport for 15 years and no one has ever tried to ban me from a match.

'How dare they try to deny journalists access to a football fixture on European soil? Our inquiries showed that this was quite obviously an act by the Iranian state. Only when we met the team's Portuguese manager did they change their tune and allow us in.

Police and stadium security staff approached two men and asked them to hand over a placard that bore a picture of Ms Amini and read: 'A 22-year-old Iranian girl was murdered on September 16 by the police of the Islamic Republic of Iran'

Police and stadium security staff approached two men and asked them to hand over a placard that bore a picture of Ms Amini and read: 'A 22-year-old Iranian girl was murdered on September 16 by the police of the Islamic Republic of Iran'

Protests have erupted across Iran and around the world after the death of Ms Amini, which followed her arrest by the hard-line state's morality police for 'improperly' wearing a headscarf. Pictured: a protest in Istanbul on Tuesday

Protests have erupted across Iran and around the world after the death of Ms Amini, which followed her arrest by the hard-line state's morality police for 'improperly' wearing a headscarf. Pictured: a protest in Istanbul on Tuesday

'The expulsion of two supporters who were merely holding up an A4 image of Mahsa Amini on Friday night was a disgrace. The local police are now tying themselves up in knots trying to justify throwing them out of the ground.

'I expect to see bigger protests when Iran play another game in Austria on Tuesday night. This is an embarrassment to Austria, who are hosting Iran for a World Cup preparation camp.

'This augurs extremely badly for Iran ahead of a Qatar World Cup, where their opening

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