Ghalibaf likens Iran's World Cup draw to wartime resilience
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf has praised the national football team's defensive performance in its World Cup draw against Belgium, comparing the display to Iranian people's steadfast defence of their country during the war against the United States and Israel.
In a post on X shortly after the match, Ghalibaf shared a photograph from the game with the caption: "This is how we protect our land."
The message drew a direct comparison between Iran's performance on the pitch and the country's response during the conflict.
Goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand played a key role in the goalless draw, producing a series of saves to deny Belgium's attack, which included Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku.
Iran's defence remained organised throughout the match, while Belgium's task became more difficult after defender Nathan Ngoy was sent off for fouling striker Mehdi Taremi.
This is how we protect our land pic.twitter.com/Y9x0OoE7Kb
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) June 21, 2026