The 27-year-old reacts after allegedly miming firing a gun with his hand after scoring in the draw with New Zealand
Iranian star Mohammad Mohebi refutes accusations that he made a gun gesture
Iranian soccer player Mohammad Mohebi has denied allegations that he made a gun firing gesture while celebrating a goal against New Zealand in the 2026 World Cup.
Iran fought back from behind twice to draw 2-2 with the Oceania squad, snatching a point from Mohebi’s 64th-minute goal in an entertaining game played at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
However, the way he celebrated goals sparked controversy among fans and pundits. The 27-year-old, who was traded to Russian club FC Rostov, placed two fingers on his arm before holding out two fingers on his right hand and waving them in the air.
The incident prompted calls for an investigation given Iran’s precarious position in the tournament in the United States. Reacting to this, Mohebi spoke to the media after the match along with captain Mehdi Taremi and insisted there was no hidden intention behind the hand movement.
“First of all, I would like to thank all the Iranian fans who came to Los Angeles to watch the match. They created a great atmosphere for the match,” Mohebi said.
“At that moment, celebration was on my mind. I did this (hand gesture) and I wanted to do this for all the fans. You know, it’s just a celebration and that’s it.”
Fellow goalscorer Ramin Rezeian admitted after scoring Iran’s first equalizer of the game that his celebrations were political. Rezaeian ran toward the fans, covering his face with his shirt.
However, he refused to talk about it after the match. “This is a political thing (his goal celebration),” he said. “I don’t want to talk about it. We are here to answer football questions. If there is a problem between us (Iranians), it is between us.”
Mohammad Mohebi is accused of ‘gun celebration’ (Image: 2026 Shaun Clark/ISI Photos)
Iran, who witnessed boos during the national anthem before their match against New Zealand, received a hostile reception in Los Angeles, while their supporters also hoisted pre-revolutionary flags in opposition to the current government.
Iranian fans in the stands displayed Shir-o-Khorshid, likely made up of their countrymen from the Los Angeles diaspora. Head coach Amir Galenoei complained that his team was the “most suppressed” team at the World Cup.
“After today’s game, they told us, ‘You have to leave immediately,'” Galenoi said. “On the other hand, today it is very important for us to recover.
“We’re being told to get on a plane and go back to our camp in Tijuana, and we’re really in trouble. They’re forcing us to go back early. They’re making things harder and harder, raising the bar, but that’s not going to stop us from doing our best.”
“To be honest, I don’t know why they sent us back. I think it’s very strange. It seems like other people have plans for us… We were supposed to arrive two days before the game, but they didn’t allow it. We were planning to stay here tonight and recover and return tomorrow afternoon.”
“I think our team is the most oppressed team throughout the whole World Cup. Our federation is not here, the media is not here, the management is not here.”
Iran’s Mehdi Taremi, 9, has slammed his country’s treatment at this summer’s World Cup. (Image: (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images))
Apart from the political debate in the stands, the football on the pitch made for an entertaining spectacle. Ilya New Zealand took the lead after seven minutes, and Rezean equalized for Iran just after the half-hour mark.
They had just grabbed their second goal of the game after the interval before Mohebi’s goal and subsequent controversial celebration gave them a share of the spoils in Group G. The match ended 2-2 late Monday night.
After Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt in the opening game, all four teams in Group G are tied on one point. Iran will next take on the Red Devils, while New Zealand will be the ‘home’ team against Egypt.
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