Before travelling to Doha the team met with Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi. Photos of the players with Raisi, one of them bowing in front of him, went viral while the street unrest raged on, prompting an outcry on social media.
Article source: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/iran-world-cup-players-silent-during-national-anthem_uk_637b9e49e4b0a97fec7f24a8