Iran players sidestep political issues and maintain focus is on the matches ahead
Asked at a news conference whether the players would chant Iran's national anthem during the world's biggest soccer event, winger Jahanbakhsh said "celebration and chanting the anthem is a personal decision and we are trying not to make a big deal out of it".
Several Iranian athletes have recently refrained from singing the national anthem to convey support for the anti-government demonstrations triggered by the death of young woman Mahsa Amini in morality police custody in September.
Iran's goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand (30) also sidestepped questions on the unrest that has been gripping Iran for two months. "We are trying to bring happiness to the Iranian people," he told a news conference in Doha.
Iran open their World Cup campaign against England on November 21st.