Misleading images turn Iran’s World Cup debut into a political flashpoint

Summary

As Iran began its World Cup campaign amidst a tense political climate, a wave of misleading images and claims spread online about the team making political statements. One photo falsely claimed to show an Iranian player carrying a pink school backpack in tribute to Iranian schoolgirls killed in Minab during the US-Iran conflict. A goal celebration by Iranian forward Mohamed Mohebi was also widely interpreted online as a "threatening" gun gesture.