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United Nations member states voted Wednesday to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women in response to the government's deadly crackdown on protests over the death of Mahsa Amini.

Driving the news: Though the move is largely symbolic, it's a direct response to Iranian women and activists who have called for the removal amid demonstrations that have now continued into their third month.

Citing Iran's "systematic oppression” of women, the U.S. had campaigned for its ejection from the CSW, which is dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women, for the remainder of its 2022-2026 term.

Twenty-nine of the 54 members of the UN Economic and Social Council, which oversees the commission, voted in favor. Eight members voted against and 16 abstained.

What they're saying: "To the Iranian women and their allies on the ground continuing to fight tirelessly, we will continue to listen to you, support you, and boldly move in ways that provoke justice, fairness and equality for you and all women, all life and all freedom," Woman, Life, Freedom, which spearheaded calls for removal, said in a statement posted on Twitter.

The big picture: Since the demonstrations began in September and spread across Iran, hundreds of people have been killed for protesting Amini's death in the custody of the country's morality police.

Police claimed Amini, 22, was not mistreated in custody, but her family has cast doubt on those claims, saying she had no pre-existing conditions and blaming authorities for her death.

UN votes to remove Iran from women's rights commission

Though the move is largely symbolic, it's a direct response to Iranian women and activists who have called for the removal.

Photo of Iranian women raising their fists and holding signs at a protest

Iranian women gather during a protest outside the United Nations mission headquarters as they chant slogans in support of women's rights on Dec. 13 in Tehran. Photo: Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

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China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

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Axios from Tel Aviv

An upcoming report to the UN Security Council obtained by Axios about Iran's compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal does not accuse Iran of supplying Russia with drones for the war in Ukraine, despite pressure from the U.S. and its allies to do so.

Driving the news: Russia has pushed back hard, and so far successfully, on Western efforts to convince UN Secretary-General António Guterres to order an investigation into Iran's alleged supply of drones. Guterres makes no definitive statement on the issue in his forthcoming report.

In the report, Guterres details several letters he received from representatives of the U.S., France, Germany, the U.K. and Ukraine arguing that Iran transferred drones to Russia “in a manner inconsistent with" UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which codified the Iran nuclear deal.

Guterres also writes that he received letters from representatives of Iran and Russia rejecting the allegations and stressing that even if Iran did provide drones, that would not violate the resolution.

Between the lines: Under Resolution 2231, which passed in 2015 as part of the nuclear deal, countries are not allowed to transfer or receive from Iran ballistic missiles and drones that have a range of more than 300 kilometers and a payload of more than 500 kilograms until October 2023.

The U.S. and European powers argue that the ban applies to the Iranian drones. The Russians and Iranians disagree.

If the UN determines there was a violation, it would be a significant embarrassment for Russia, which is a permanent member of the Security Council and continues to deny it is using Iranian drones in the first place.

Iran has admitted to supplying some drones to Russia but claims it was before the war began. The U.S. says it has definitive evidence of more recent transfers.

Behind the scenes: Guterres has been trapped in an argument between the two sides since October over whether to deploy UN experts to investigate the matter, according to letters obtained by Axios and the accounts of four diplomatic sources directly involved in the issue.

The U.S. and European powers are demanding a UN investigation, but Russia argues Guterres has no authority to authorize one without a decision from the Security Council (which Russia would likely veto).

But according to two diplomats from the Western Security Council member states, the UN's legal adviser and undersecretary of political affairs both determined Guterres does have a mandate to deploy experts, and there are precedents from similar cases in the Middle East.

The Western diplomats say Russia has put immense pressure on Guterres and his advisers not to order an investigation, and it's even threatened to withdraw its cooperation on other issues relating to Ukraine, most notably the grain corridor.

State of play: Guterres has not ordered an investigation, and as a result, he reaches no conclusion on the drone issue in his report. “The Secretariat is examining the available information. Any findings will be reported to the Security Council, as appropriate, in due course," Guterres writes. 

A Western official told Axios that Guterres must order the investigation now and "not give in to pressure from Russia."

A UN source told Axios that Guterres was in a very difficult position. “Every week the secretary-general received letters from each side with completely contradictory information. There was a lot of pressure from both sides, and the secretary-general had to walk a very fine line."

The UN source said the U.S. had also asked Guterres several times in recent weeks to pass messages to Iran warning of the ramifications of supplying drones and missiles to Russia. The secretary-general held several phone calls on this issue with Iranian officials, most recently on Dec. 2 with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

What they're saying: Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the secretary-general, told Axios: “The UN secretariat continues to perform the tasks assigned to it by the Security Council. … In this regard, the secretariat is ready to analyze any information brought to its attention by member states that is relevant to the report."

Western officials directly involved in the issue say the fact that the UN report didn’t make a determination about Iranian drone exports does not mean the UN won't find a violation of Resolution 2231. 

A State Department spokesperson said, “Iran, in violation of Resolution 2231, provided Russia with drones to wreak havoc and inflict destruction on Ukrainian civilians. Russia, in violation of Resolution 2231, procured them. There is no doubt that the transfer occurred without approval by the council, and thus in violation of Resolution 2231."

A spokesperson for the Russian Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.

What to watch: A senior UN source said the secretary-general has the option of sending a team of experts to Ukraine in the future in order to investigate the claims regarding the use of Iranian drones.

Go deeper: Iran plans to limit range of missiles sent to Russia, Israeli officials say

Scoop: Amid Russian pressure, UN report skirts question on Iran drones

An upcoming report to the UN Security Council does not accuse Iran of supplying Russia with drones for the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to his Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi, in Tehran on July 19. Photo: Sergei Savostyanov/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran on July 19. Photo: Sergei Savostyanov/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images

Russia

Ukraine

Fearing international backlash, Iran wants to limit the range of the missiles it plans to provide Russia for the war in Ukraine, four senior Israeli officials told Axios, citing intelligence reports.

Why it matters: Iranian ballistic missile deliveries to Russia could violate a UN Security Council resolution and trigger a "snapback" mechanism, which would reimpose UN sanctions on Iran. 

Such a situation would be problematic for Iran, but even more so for Russia, which is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. 

Under UN Security Council resolution 2231, which passed in 2015 as part of the nuclear deal, countries are not allowed to transfer or receive Iran ballistic missiles and drones that have a range of more than 300 kilometers and a payload of more than 500 kilograms until October 2023.

Driving the news: Russia’s deputy defense minister, Alexander Fomin, visited Tehran with a military delegation on Dec. 3. 

He met with Maj. Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, and attended the fourth meeting of the Joint Military Cooperation Commission, which was formed late last year to boost defense cooperation between Russia and Iran, according to Iranian press reports. 

Israel is concerned Russia will provide Iran with engines for its long-range missiles, which would be in violation of the UN Security Council resolution, the Israeli officials said. It's also worried Moscow will allow Tehran greater freedom of operation in Syria to attack Israel and U.S. forces in the region. 

The big picture: Iran initially denied providing Russia with drones, but acknowledged last month it did deliver the weapons but claimed it happened before the war started. 

Russia has denied using Iranian-made drones on civilian targets in Ukraine, despite growing evidence to the contrary.

Behind the scenes: The four Israeli officials said international pressure has not fully deterred Tehran from planning to send the missiles to Russia and it intends to go ahead with the deliveries soon.

But, in an effort to mitigate the international fallout and not violate the Security Council resolution, Iran plans to give Russia only missiles with a range of less than 300 kilometers and modify other missiles so they stay within the parameters of the resolution, the Israeli officials said. 

This includes a Fateh-110 missile system, which has a range of 300 kilometers, but the Iranians plan to modify it so that it doesn't violate the resolution, according to the Israeli officials. 

The officials added that the Iranians originally considered also providing Russia with the Zolfaghar missile, which has a range of 700 kilometers, but they are no longer weighing whether to send this system. 

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a spokesperson for Iran's UN representative did not respond to requests for comment.  

Between the lines: In recent weeks, Israel has provided dozens of Western countries a dossier with intelligence about Iranian arms transfers to Russia. 

Israeli officials said they hope to use the current focus on Iranian assistance to the Russian war effort as a means for increasing international pressure on Tehran.

What they're saying: The White House declined to comment on the Israeli assessment, but National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said in a briefing with reporters on Friday that the Biden administration is still concerned about the possibility that Iran will provide Russia with ballistic missiles.

Kirby said Russia is offering Iran unprecedented military and technical support while Tehran has become Moscow's top military backer. "That is transforming their relationship into a full-fledged defense partnership," he added.

The Biden administration has shared information about Russia’s military cooperation with Iran with U.S. partners in the Middle East and around the world, Kirby said.

Kirby added the U.S. is concerned that Russia intends to provide Iran with advanced military gear such as helicopters, air defense systems and Su-35 advanced fighter jets. He claimed Iranian pilots have been training in Russia to learn how to fly the jets since last spring.

State of play: EU foreign ministers met Monday and condemned Iran's military support for Russia during the war. 

In a statement after the meeting, the EU stressed that "any transfer of certain combat drones and missiles to or from Iran without prior permission by the UN Security Council are in violation" of resolution 2231.  

"The European Union strongly cautions Iran against any new deliveries of weapons to Russia, in particular any steps towards possible transfers of short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, which would constitute a serious escalation," the statement added. 

"The European Union will continue to respond to all actions supporting the Russian aggression against Ukraine and hold Iran accountable including through additional restrictive measures."

What to watch: The UN Security Council will convene on Dec. 19 to discuss the implementation of resolution 2231. 

The U.S., U.K. and France already claim Iranian drone transfers to Russia violate the resolution, while Russia and Iran claim it does not. 

Scoop: Iran plans to limit range of missiles sent to Russia, Israeli officials say

Iranian ballistic missile deliveries to Russia could violate a UN Security Council resolution and trigger UN sanctions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to his Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi, in Tehran on July 19. Photo: Sergei Savostyanov/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images 

Israel

Authorities in Iran executed a second man in connection with the anti-government protests that started in September, state media reported Monday. 

The big picture: It's the second known execution in less than a week related to the anti-government protests that began after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody.

The Iranian government has cracked down aggressively on protests, and more than 480 protestors have been killed, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency.

More than 18,000 people have been arrested, per the organization.

Driving the news: Mizan Online, a news agency affiliated with Iran's judiciary, identified the man who was executed as Majidreza Rahnavard. He was arrested last month for allegedly stabbing and killing two security officials.

Rahnavard was publicly hanged in the Iranian city of Mashhad.

Authorities last week executed Mohsen Shekari, who state media said injured a security guard with a machete during unrest in Tehran.

What they're saying: "Public execution of a young protester, 23 days after his arrest, is another serious crime committed by the [Islamic Republic] leaders and a significant escalation of the level of violence against protesters," Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the director of Iran Human Rights, said in a tweet.

Go deeper ... Iran protesters call for 3-day strike as pressure builds

Iran conducts second execution in connection with protests

It's the second known execution connected to the anti-government protests.

Iranian protesters march down a street on October 1, 2022 in Tehran, Iran.

Iranian protesters march down a street on Oct. 1 in Tehran. Photo: Getty Images

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Sunday that Iran's neighbors around the Gulf would take measures to strengthen their own security if Iran were to obtain a nuclear weapon. 

The big picture: Talks to revive the 2015 Iran deal have stalled in recent months, with U.S. envoy for Iran Rob Malley admitting in October that the talks were not the Biden administration's  "focus right now."

Talks sputtered after the EU draft agreement was met with more demands by the Iranians, including that the International Atomic Energy Agency close its investigations into Iran's alleged past undeclared nuclear activity.

The Iranian government's crackdown on protests over the death of Mahsa Amini and growing evidence of its support for Russia in the war in Ukraine have now become a focus for the Biden administration, Malley said.

What they're saying: "If Iran gets an operational nuclear weapon, all bets are off," Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud said during an interview at the World Policy Conference in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, Reuters reported.

"We are in a very dangerous space in the region," he added. "You can expect that regional states will certainly look toward how they can ensure their own security."

Though "skeptical" of the Iran deal, Saudi Arabia supports efforts to revive the deal as "a starting point, not an end point," he added.

The Kingdom's Gulf Arab neighbors have pushed for a stronger deal to address Iran's missiles and drones program and its system of regional proxies, but the Saudi foreign minister noted that "the signs right now are not very positive, unfortunately," per Reuters.

Saudi foreign minister vows "all bets are off" if Iran gets nuclear weapon

"You can expect that regional states will certainly look toward how they can ensure their own security."

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud talks

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud in July. Photo: Jung Yeon-Je-Pool/Getty Images

Authorities in Iran executed a man in connection with months-long protests against the country's ruling party on Thursday, state media reported.

The big picture: It's believed to be the first execution in response to the protests, which were triggered by the Sept. 16 death in Tehran police custody of Mahsa Amini, 22, who was detained for wearing an "improper hijab," Iran's mandatory head covering.

An activists warns there will be more executions unless the international community condemns Iran for killing a protester on Thursday.

The Iranian judiciary-linked Mizan website claimed that the executed man, identified as Mohsen Shekari, had injured a security guard with a machete during unrest in Tehran.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the director of the Oslo-based activist group Iran Human Rights, was among the activists warning that the execution of the protester could be the first of many in the country.

What they're saying: "We are appalled by the execution of #MohsenShekari. Our message to Iran’s leadership is clear: End this brutal crackdown. We will continue to hold the Iranian regime accountable," Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted Thursday.

By the numbers: At least 475 protesters have been killed and 18,240 others detained in the unrest as Iranian authorities continue their crackdown, according to the latest figures from the Human Rights Activists' News Agency.

"At least 28 people, including three children, could face execution in connection with nationwide protests as the Iranian authorities use the death penalty as a tool of political repression to instil fear among the public and end the popular uprising," Amnesty International reports. 

"At least six people have already been sentenced to death in sham trials."

Editor's note: This article has been updated with a statement from Secretary Blinken. 

Iran executes man arrested in Tehran demonstrations

It's believed to be the first execution connected to the protests, which began in September.

 A protester holds a portrait of Mahsa Amini during a demonstration in her support in front of the Iranian embassy in Brussels on September 23.

A protester holds a portrait of Mahsa Amini during a demonstration in Brussels in September against her death in police custody. Photo: Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

The women of Iran have been named Time magazine's Heroes of the Year for leading the mass protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country's morality police.

Driving the news: A tribute written by former Time columnist Azadeh Moaveni acknowledges women's roles in past protests in Iran that have built toward this moment, while highlighting the singularity of the current movement.

The tribute is accompanied by a series of photos of Iranian women. "I am proud of myself and my country’s women who stand up for their rights in a braver manner than any man in the world," reads the caption below a photo of a woman identified as Shima.

"These younger women are now in the streets. The movement they’re leading is educated, liberal, secular, raised on higher expectations, and desperate for normality: college and foreign travel, decent jobs, rule of law, access to the Apple Store, a meaningful role in politics, the freedom to say and wear whatever," Moaveni wrote.

"The average age of arrested protesters is notably low—Iranian officials estimate as young as 15. I can only conclude that when a generation’s aspirations for freedom appear tantalizingly within reach, the more humiliating the remaining restrictions seem, and the less daunting the final stretch of resistance feels."

"No one, not the officials in Iran nor governments around the world who’ve made hostility to women a brand of politics, saw the power of a girl standing on a utility box, demanding to be left alone."

The big picture: The Iranian government has cracked down aggressively on protests that began in mid-September in response to the death of 22-year-old Amini.

Police claimed Amini was not mistreated in custody after being arrested for allegedly violating the country's mandatory hijab law. Her family has cast doubt on those claims, saying she had no pre-existing conditions and blaming authorities for her death.

Protesters have faced violence — at times lethal — by security forces, internet restrictions and mass arrests.

The nonprofit Iran Human Rights estimated Wednesday that at least 458 people have been killed since the protests began, including 63 children.

Protesters held a three-day economic strike this week.

The protest at the Iranian consulate in Istanbul 

A protest over the death of Mahsa Amini at the Iranian consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 22. Photo: Omer Kuscu/ dia images via Getty Images

People take part in a rally in support of Iranian women in Istanbul on Nov. 26. Photo: Yasin Akgul/AFP via Getty Images

Protesters hold placards and chant slogans outside the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul Mahsa Amini.

Protesters hold placards and chant slogans outside the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul during a protest over the death of Iranian Mahsa Amini. Photo: Onur Dogman/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

A view after shopkeepers went on a three-day shutter down strike as part of Mahsa Amini protests in Tehran, Iran on December 6

A view after shopkeepers went on a three-day strike as part of Mahsa Amini protests in Tehran on Dec. 6. Photo: Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Women of Iran named Time's 2022 Heroes of the Year

"The movement they’re leading is educated, liberal, secular, raised on higher expectations, and desperate for normality."

A protester with varnished nails in the colours of the Iranian flag holds a portrait of Mahsa Amini outside the Iranian Consulate during the demonstration

A protester holds a portrait of Mahsa Amini outside the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul during a demonstration. Photo: Onur Dogman/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Iranian protesters on Sunday called for a three-day strike this week, as the protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country's morality police continued into their third month, Reuters reported.

Why it matters: The call for a strike comes amid conflicting reports that Iran's morality police had been abolished.

Driving the news: Speaking at an event Saturday, Iran's Prosecutor General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri said that the morality police is separate from the judiciary, according to the semi-official ILNA news agency, Reuters reported.

"The same authority which has established this police has shut it down," he added. The judiciary "continues to monitor behavioral actions at the community level," he said.

The remarks were quickly picked up by Western media outlets. Al Alam state television acknowledged that foreign media had reported the story, but stressed that no official had confirmed it and that the most that could be gleaned from Montazeri's remarks was that the morality police and judiciary have always been separate.

State media outlets emphasized that Interior Ministry, and not Montazeri, is in charge of overseeing the morality police, CNN reported. The Interior Ministry has not confirmed the move. 

Between the lines: Even if Iran abolished the morality police, the law that imposes the mandatory dress code for women remains in effect and can still be enforced. There has been no indication that the law will be terminated, Al Jazeera reported.

The big picture: The three-day economic strike is expected to be accompanied by a rally to Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square on Wednesday, the same day President Ebrahim Raisi is scheduled to address students in Tehran to mark Student Day, per Reuters.

Protesters have called for the boycott of any economic activity beginning Monday, per CBC.

Hundreds of people have been killed in the protests, which began in September and quickly spread to several Iranian cities. Police claimed Amini, 22, was not mistreated in custody. But her family has cast doubt on those claims, saying she had no pre-existing conditions and blaming authorities for her death. 

Iranian officials without evidence have blamed the protests on foreign entities, including the U.S. and Israel. 

Iran protesters call for 3-day strike as pressure builds

The call for a strike comes amid conflicting reports that Iran's morality police has been abolished.

An Iranian young woman looks on as she and her mother walk along an area in Tehran Grand Bazaar 

An Iranian young woman looks on as she and her mother walk along the Tehran Grand Bazaar on Dec.  3. Photo: Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The government of Thailand notified the Israeli government that it received a commitment from Iran not to conduct attacks against Israeli targets on Thai soil, according to an Israeli Foreign Ministry cable and two Israeli officials briefed on the matter.

Why it matters: Thailand is a major tourism destination for Israelis, and Israeli officials have accused Iranian operatives several times in the past decade of attempting to conduct attacks on Israelis in the country. 

Last June, Thai media outlets reported that Thailand's security forces were on high alert due to concerns about possible Iranian agents in the country, and the arrest of an Iranian agent in nearby Indonesia.

Behind the scenes: On Nov. 15, the political director of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Aliza Bin-Noun, met with a senior Thai Foreign Ministry official in Bangkok, according to a copy of the diplomatic cable seen by Axios. 

The official briefed Bin-Noun on a trip he took to Tehran in August, in which the main issue discussed was security.

According to the Israeli cable, the senior Thai diplomat said he had asked the Iranians to reiterate a commitment, first made one year earlier but not publicly known until now, not to target Israelis in Thailand, and the Iranians stressed that they would adhere to that commitment.

Two Israeli officials confirmed the account but spoke on condition anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the meeting. 

Thailand's Ambassador to Israel Pannabha Chandraramya told Axios this account was inaccurate but would not specify which aspects. An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, “We don’t comment in the media on the contents of diplomatic conversations."

The big picture: Over the last year, Israel's Mossad intelligence agency has claimed to have thwarted numerous plots against Israeli officials, businessmen and tourists in countries including Turkey, Georgia and Cyprus.

Israel is particularly concerned about potential attacks on its citizens overseas because the Iranian government has threatened to avenge the assassinations of several Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists, for which it blames Israel.

Iran has repeatedly denied targeting Israelis in third countries, dismissing reports of an alleged plot against Israeli tourists in Istanbul this summer, for example, as "baseless."

Flashback: Three Iranians were imprisoned for an attempted bomb attack in Thailand in 2012, a day after Israeli diplomats were targeted in India and Georgia. 

They were released in 2020 as part of what the Thai government called a prisoner transfer that included the release of Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who was arrested in Iran in 2018.

Scoop: Iran committed to Thailand that it won't target Israeli tourists, cable says

Thailand is a major tourist destination for Israelis.

An El Al Israel Airlines plane at Bangkok airport. Photo: Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty

The USMNT's win-or-go-home match against Iran has become more than a game amid heightened geopolitical turmoil.

Catch up quick: Iran's morality police, tasked with enforcing strict codes around women's dress and behavior, arrested 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September for improperly wearing her hijab. Amini died in custody, allegedly after being beaten by officers.

Her death was the catalyst for the uprising that has erupted across the country as citizens protest women's lack of rights. At least 450 protesters have been killed, and another 18,000 arrested.

President Biden said "we're gonna free Iran" in a speech this month, and the U.S. Treasury has sanctioned multiple Iranian officials for their anti-protest behavior.

State of play: Iranian soccer players have continually supported the protesters, covering their uniforms before a September friendly and refusing to sing the national anthem before their World Cup opener.

Some players have remained close with top government officials, though, with two staging a controversial photoshoot with the president at his office days before leaving for Qatar.

The Iranian government on Monday threatened players' families with imprisonment and torture if they fail to "behave" before today's game, CNN reports.

The latest: In its own act of protest, U.S. Soccer removed the Islamic Republic's emblem from the Iranian flag in a since-deleted social media post this weekend to show "support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights," per AP.

Iran responded by calling for the USMNT to be expelled from the World Cup.

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter apologized for the post on Monday, saying he and his players had no idea it was coming.

Flashback: The last World Cup match between the U.S. and Iran in 1998 is considered one of the most politically charged ever, with the nations referring to each other as "The Great Satan" and an "outlaw state." Iran won that match, 2-1, to knock out the Americans.

Geopolitical tensions loom over U.S.-Iran World Cup match

The USMNT's win-or-go-home match against Iran has become more than a game.

An Iran fan protests during Iran's match against Wales. Photo: Youssef Loulidi/Getty Images

world cup

Shifts in technology and media are changing the way we play, watch and understand sports. Business models are adapting and social change is forcing those in charge of teams and leagues to reconsider decades-old practices.

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