Iran manager Carlos Queiroz confronts BBC reporter and snaps about 'political question'

Iran boss Carlos Quieroz angrily confronted a journalist for her 'political questions' in a press conference where she pressed the team's striker Taremi about controversial matters back home

Justin Lawrence

17:39, 24 Nov 2022

Iran boss Carlos Quieroz furiously confronted and snapped at a female journalist after she asked team forward Mehdi Taremi for his opinion on political matters.

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While Iran's football team are participating in the World Cup in Qatar, there's turmoil in their homeland after a 33-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, was killed in police custody. Her death has resulted in mass protesting, and Iran's team got involved by refusing to sing the country's national anthem before they lost 6-2 to England.

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And ahead of Iran's next game against Wales, striker Taremi was asked if he had a message for protestors back home, which infuriated boss Quieroz who sat beside him. Queiroz bumped into the journalist, Shaimaa Khalil, after the press conference ended, and verbally ripped into her for the political questions she aimed at Taremi.

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The Portuguese tactician pressed Shaimaa and wanted to know why England boss Gareth Southgate wasn't asked the same type of questions. He raged: "Why don’t you ask Southgate these kind of questions? I am talking with you.

“I ask the pleasure to talk with you. I am asking one thing to you now the press conference is finished. Do you think it is fair also to ask other questions to other coaches?

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The journalist asked Iran's striker Mehdi Taremi for his thoughts on the protests in his homeland(Image: Twitter)

“That is the only question I make. Why don’t you ask the other coaches? Why don't you ask Southgate: ‘what do you think about England, the United States and Afghanistan?”

It's the second time Quieroz has lost his rag with the media at the World Cup. He angrily asked a reporter how much they would pay him to answer politically charged questions before Iran's loss to England.

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Do you think Quieroz was too harsh with the reporter? Let us know in the comments section

And the reporter's persistent line of questioning prompted a furious response from the Iran boss(Image: Twitter)

But the onslaught of political queries aimed at Quieroz and his players are set to continue after an Iranian star was arrested during training for allegedly spreading propaganda about the authoritarian regime. Voria Ghafouri, 35, was detained by security forces on Thursday (November 24) while at the base of his club Foolad Khuzesta, accused of having, "tarnished the reputation of the national team and spread propaganda against the state".

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