Iran’s national football team quickly responded to the USA’s World Cup exit with a playful post on their official Instagram account.
Following the USA’s departure from the 2026 World Cup after a 4-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16, Iran’s official social media posted an image with the caption, ‘Dance with me!’
While the post might initially appear odd, it is actually a response to remarks made by a senior US official a few days earlier, adding a deeper layer of meaning to the image.
The image not only highlighted Belgium’s victory over the USA but also reminded viewers of Iran’s earlier 0-0 draw with Belgium in the group stage, emphasizing that Belgium could not overcome Iran, even though they scored four goals against the USA.
The post directly referenced comments by US Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, who made controversial statements after Iran’s elimination from the tournament, which the Iranian football federation had already labeled as “hostile.”
Iran’s participation in the World Cup was uncertain due to airstrikes by the US and Israel in February, but they ultimately competed and nearly advanced to the knockout stages, drawing all three of their group matches but narrowly missing a victory over Egypt because of an offside decision.
Throughout the competition, Iran expressed dissatisfaction with their treatment by US authorities. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei described his team as the ‘most oppressed’ at the World Cup.
Mullin’s comments during a World Cup security briefing exacerbated the situation. He stated: “I’m just glad they’re done, and they’re not coming back. I was so happy when we were able to pull their visas and said they could leave the U.S. soil, and I might’ve sung a song or two or maybe even danced a happy dance.”
Iran’s federation issued a strong response, stating they were unsurprised by Mullin’s remarks.
“Iranians are used to the mistreatment and lies of U.S. officials, so no one in Iran is surprised by these hostile remarks,” the statement read. It also referenced an ongoing investigation into a missile strike in Iran by US authorities.
The statement continued: “These remarks once again demonstrate that U.S. officials have no commitment to international law or the principles expected of a host nation capable of organizing a global sporting event. The fact that he openly celebrates Iran’s elimination says far more about him than it does about our team. It reflects a level of pettiness that cannot even tolerate the presence of a football team competing on the world’s biggest stage.”
The federation pointed out that similar sentiments had been expressed by their head coach following Iran’s match against New Zealand, suggesting that the US did not want Iran to progress in the tournament. “These latest comments only reinforce that belief,” the statement concluded.
In another twist, Iran’s subtle jab at the USA came shortly after Belgium celebrated their victory, with some players imitating Donald Trump’s dance, alluding to the former president’s role in overturning USA striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension before the match.