Iran ‘loyalists’ confront protesters

Iran's political turmoil cast a shadow over Iran's second match at the World Cup, with pro-government fans harassing anti-government fans outside the stadium.

Unlike in their first match against England, the Iranian players sang their national anthem before yesterday’s match against Wales as some fans wept.

Some Iran fans confiscated Persian pre-revolutionary Iranian flags from supporters entering the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium and shouted insults at those wearing shirts with the slogan of the country's protest movement: "Woman, Life, Freedom."

Small mobs of men angrily chanted "the Islamic Republic of Iran" at women giving interviews about the protests to foreign media.

Shouting matches erupted outside the security checkpoint at the stadium between fans shouting "women, life, freedom" and others yelling back "the Islamic Republic".

Many female fans were visibly shaken as Iranian government supporters surrounded them with national flags and filmed them on their phones.

One woman, Vanya, 21, who lives in Qatar, , who, like other Iran fans, declined to give her last name for fear of government reprisals, said she is terrified to ever go back to Iran after what she experienced outside the stadium on Friday.

"I'm genuinely afraid for my safety here," she said.

Some fans said stadium security removed items with messages in support of the protest movement.