Mohammad Mohebi’s goal celebration during the match between the national teams of Iran and New Zealand at the 2026 World Cup has become a controversial topic on social media.
Some social media users and political activists opposed to the Islamic Republic have claimed that Mohebi’s hand gesture after scoring resembled pointing a gun and was directed toward a section of spectators in the stadium who were holding the Lion and Sun flag. Some of these users have called for an investigation into the matter by FIFA.
In contrast, a number of Iranian national team fans and other users have rejected this claim, stating that Mohebi’s gesture was simply part of his standard goal celebration and had no connection to the spectators present in the stadium.
The debate intensified after videos of Mohebi’s goal celebration circulated on social media, with users offering differing interpretations of the gesture.
As of the publication of this report, FIFA, the 2026 World Cup Disciplinary Committee, and the Football Federation of Iran have not issued any official reaction to the matter, and no reports have been published regarding the initiation of an investigation or the opening of a disciplinary case against Mohammad Mohebi.
