Iranian state television censored footage of the Iran team refusing to sing the national anthem ahead of the country’s opening match against England.

Irib TV3, operated by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), also muted the live feed when anti-regime chants could be heard.

There have been widespread protests against Iran’s conservative clerical leadership, which has ruled the country since 1979.

These protests were provoked by the death of Mahsa Amini in September, a 22-year-old woman who was killed by the morality piece for wearing her hijab incorrectly.

The Oslo-based Iran Human Rights group says that at least 326 people have been killed across 22 provinces, including 43 children.

According to multiple sources in Iran, who asked to remain anonymous for their own safety, footage from the state television broadcaster, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), stopped a live stream of the anthem halfway through after seeing the players’ actions.

They showed the first three Iran players failing to sing, before cutting off the feed when the third successive player was failing to sing. Instead, the screen showed a wide shot of the stadium, rather than the players, with the music continuing.

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The Athletic has contacted IRIB for comment.

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