Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Iranian parliament speaker, praised the national team goalkeeper after a crucial save in Iran's 0-0 World Cup draw with Belgium, writing on social media: 'This is how we defend our country,' according to N12.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf joined a wave of senior Iranian officials leveraging the national football team's performance at the 2026 World Cup for public messaging, praising goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand's save in Monday's 0-0 draw with Belgium. As The Zioneer reported earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also posted about the save, calling it the 'save of the tournament.' Ghalibaf's Hebrew-language social media post — 'This is how we defend our country' — was highlighted by Israeli reporter Tal Shagi on N12. The posts reflect how Iranian leaders continue to use football diplomacy and national sports as a platform for political messaging amid heightened tensions.
3 developments
- DevelopingIranian joke mocks regime's rhetoric after football draw with New Zealand
- StrongIranian FM Araghchi says foreign diplomats praised Iran's 'heroic endurance' after the war
- StrongIranian official says military at highest readiness, warns of decisive response
- DevelopingIran's vice president claims military deterrence significantly advanced since war
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
- Internal intake