Iran should be barred from the football World Cup amid widespread protests in the country sparked by the death in custody of a young woman, former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has told a Swiss newspaper.
This content was published on
1 minute
Reuters/Blick/jc
Português
pt
Irã deve ser impedido de participar da Copa do Mundo, diz Blatter
Blatter told the BlickExternal link newspaper he would have excluded Iran if he had still been in charge at FIFA. He criticised his successor, saying it was incomprehensible that current FIFA head Gianni Infantino had not taken a clear position on Iran.
Blatter, 86, also said this week it had been a mistake to award Qatar the hosting rights to the World Cup, which begins there on November 20.
Ongoing protests in Iran were sparked by the death of a young Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, in September in the custody of morality police. She was arrested for allegedly flouting Iran’s strict dress code for women.
The protests have taken on a wider aspect of women’s rights and opposition to the Islamic regime. They are seen as posing one of the biggest challenges to Iran’s clerical rulers since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
More
More
Ex-FIFA boss regrets choice of Qatar for World Cup
This content was published on
The former FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, says the choice of Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup was a mistake as the Gulf country is too small.
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Protestors in Bern call for Swiss to toughen stance with Iran
This content was published on
Several thousand people gathered in front of the federal government building on Saturday demanding a change in Swiss policy towards Iran.
Swiss consider wider EU sanctions on Iran over Amini death
This content was published on
Switzerland is considering whether to adopt the strengthened EU sanctions against Iran following Tehran’s crackdown against demonstrators.
Switzerland condemns violence by Iranian security forces
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign ministry has called on Iran to protect the right to freedom of expression amid a violent crackdown on anti-government protestors.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.