World Cup: Why are Iran calling for USA to be kicked out?

Tension is rising ahead of the United States of America's clash with Iran in Group B of the 2022 World Cup on Tuesday.

Both nations are still in with a chance of qualifying for the second round as they prepare to lock horns at the Al Thumama Stadium, but it's becoming increasingly apparent that the game is about more than matters on the pitch.

That's especially the case seeing as Iran state-affiliated media are now campaigning for the USA to be removed from the World Cup entirely just days before they're set to battle it out.

What have Iran said about USA?

The Telegraph has confirmed that the legal advisor to the Iranian Football Federation is said to be filing an official complaint to FIFA in regards to a social media post made by the US.

The Iran-based Tasnim News Agency are quoted as saying: "The US football team breached the Fifa charter by posting a distorted image of the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran on its official Twitter page, for which a 10-game suspension is the appropriate penalty."

Iran legal advisor Safia Allah Faghanpour has been quoted as remarking that the US had deliberately disrespected the flag of the Middle Eastern nation.

Faghanpour said: “Respecting a nation's flag is an accepted international practice that all other nations must emulate. The action conducted in relation to the Iranian flag is unethical and against international law.”

They were also quoted as saying: "They must be held responsible. Obviously they want to affect Iran's performance against the U.S. by doing this."

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According to ESPN, the controversy surrounds the fact that the U.S. Soccer Federation briefly displayed Iran's flag without the symbol of the Islamic Republic on a social media post.

Posted to Twitter, a graphic displaying the group stage fixtures of the US men's team in Qatar 2022 showed the Iranian flag simply as horizontal stripes of green, white and red.

It's also explained in the report that the same was true of Facebook and Instagram posts breaking down the number of points that each team had in Group B up until that stage.

ESPN also quote the US federation as confirming: "We wanted to show our support for the women in Iran with our graphic for 24 hours."

Nevertheless, by Sunday afternoon, the normal Iranian flag with the emblem had been restored.

The controversy comes amidst protests against the Iranian government which have been raging in the country since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on September 16.

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Group B - England v Iran - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - November 21, 2022 General view of a ground staff member inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Paul Childs

What do FIFA rules state?

With Tasnim News Agency saying that FIFA should issue tougher punishments for what they call "racist behavior", fans are understandably wondering whether there could legitimately be repercussions for the US.

Well, according to the Telegraph, the cited FIFA guideline says: “Any person who offends the dignity or integrity of a country, a person or group of people through contemptuous, discriminatory or derogatory words or actions (by any means whatsoever) on account of race, skin colour, ethnic, national or social origin, gender, disability, language, religion, political opinion, wealth, birth or any other status or any other reason, shall be sanctioned with a suspension lasting at least ten matches or a specific period, or any other appropriate disciplinary measure."