President-elect Hassan Rouhani has hailed Irans 1-0 victory over South Korea on Wednesday as an introduction to bigger victories for the Islamic Republic.
Rouhani said that the football victory, which qualifies Iran for the 2014 World Cup, heralded the powerful presence of our nation on all fields.
The President-elect also praised Irans youth for their displays of patriotism after the victory.
Our patriotic youth is one of our countrys biggest assets.#Brazil2014#victory#pridepic.twitter.com/O4ne0VCHEs
Dr Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani)June 18, 2013
Rouhanis rival, and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili also tweeted about Irans football win, calling it the second victory in a week:
?? ??? ??? ????? ? ??? ?????? ????? ????? ???????. ????? ?????? ?? ??? ????#iranelection#worldcup#brazil2014
Saeed Jalili (@DrSaeedJalili)June 18, 2013
Celebrations of the victory took place across Iran, including in the Sunni-majority province of Sistan Baluchistan:
Iranian Baluch danced in streets of Sistan & Baluchistan province celebrating#Irans qualification for#brazil2014pic.twitter.com/9qDHrI66LX
Zealous_Iranian (@Zealous_Iranian)June 18, 2013
The victory was also front page headlines in Iranian dailies on Wednesday, including the hardline Kayhan newspaper, close to the Supreme Leaders Office:
On Slow News Day, Hardline Mashregh Exposes America
Hardline Mashregh News famous for its reviews of Hollywood movies brings its readersa lengthy exposeof what it says are the worst excesses of American culture throughout history.
Even through the US voted in favor of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Mashregh says, the reality is very different. Washingtons human rights violations include excessive surveillance against citizens, Mashregh tells us, with the caption Everywhere Is Under Surveillance.
So, not like Iran then.
Mashregh uses this photograph to illustrate what it says is Washingtons policy that all America citizens are terrorists who must be watched:
Perhaps the best illustration Mashregh offers of the ills of contemporary US society is this image, which it uses to illustrate its assertion that American children have easy access to both firearms and knives: