Iran players can protest at World Cup says coach Queiroz

Iran's players covered up their national team badge when they played two warm-up internationals in September, which was interpreted as a sign of support for the protests.

Carlos Queiroz, coach for Iran. Pic: Gareth Copley/PA Wire.

Iran's players are free to join in the protests sweeping their country over women's rights while they are playing at the World Cup in Qatar but must do so within the rules of the tournament, national team coach Carlos Queiroz said on Tuesday.

The rights activist HRANA news agency said 344 people have been killed and 15,280 arrested over the last two months of nationwide protests triggered by the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police.