An intelligence officer of the Israeli army said on Monday that Iran could be attacked in the World Cup attack, but it is doubtful because of the uncertainty about the fate of the host Qataris.
Major General Aharon Haliva, head of the Israeli Defense Forces Intelligence, attended an Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) meeting in Tel Aviv on Monday, and spoke about the protests against the takeover of the country. and how they can affect the World Cup, the biggest international competition. .
Enner Valencia of Ecuador scores his side’s first goal in the Group A – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match between Qatar and Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium on November 20, 2022, in Al Khor, Qatar.
(Pablo Morano/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
“Iran is thinking of canceling the 2022 World Cup in Qatar,” Haliva said. “But the only thing that prevents them is – what is the Qatari solution?”
WORLD CUP 2022: Iran’s players dance during the national anthem to show support for the home opposition.
Protests have continued in Iran since the death of a woman named Mahsa Amini when she was detained by cultural police in Tehran in September, in what has been called the biggest crackdown on Iran’s clerical leader since the 1979 revolution.
Not only did Amini’s death spark outrage in Tehran, but protests spread across the country.
The country’s leaders have deployed troops to the Kurdish city to regain control of the city, which the opposition has gained.
Demonstrators in Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza outside the United Nations building demonstrate against the president of the Iranian government, Ebrahim Raisi, for his direct role in the massacre of political prisoners in the year 1988. Raisi addressing the United Nations General Assembly today, September 21, 2022.
(John Mantel for Fox News Digital)
Social media showed the streets of Mahabad in armored vehicles, and in one incident, Iranian forces opened fire on a crowd gathered for what was believed to be a speech from the governor.
IRAN’S INJURY TO KURDISH CITY DEPENDS ON CRACKDOWN ON PROSESSIONS
Haliva said that the current protests are different because of their duration and intensity, adding that the demonstrations are changing along the lines of civil unrest.
It is a problem for the government of Iran, especially because of the growth and complexity of the world and the difficult economic situation, said the general.
Iranian soccer players hold signs reading Woman Life Freedom and Freedom For Iran, before the B World Cup soccer match between England and Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday, November 21, 2022.
(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
“As the pressure on Iran increases, Iran’s response to various incidents becomes stronger,” he said. “We must expect Iran’s serious actions in the region and in the world.”
As Iran decides what to do next, Haliva is adamant that the World Cup is under threat.
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“I tell you that the Iranians are thinking of playing the World Cup in Qatar,” he said. “They are afraid of the fate of the Qataris. This trend will continue. Iran has been forced, and this has translated into serious actions.”
Fox News’ Yonat Friling contributed to this report.
