Fact Check: Was an Iranian soccer player deported from the US after 'gun gesture' celebration?

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA: Following the FIFA World Cup match between Iran and New Zealand on June 15, a rumor began to circulate on social media platforms claiming that an Iranian soccer player named Mohammed Mohebi was deported from the United States for making a ‘gun gesture’ after scoring a goal. Let us analyze the claim and fact-check it.

Claim: US deported Mohammad Mohebi for ‘gun gesture’ celebration

The rumor spread following the World Cup match between Iran and New Zealand, according to which the Department of Homeland Security deported Iranian player Mohammad Mohebi after he celebrated a goal with a ‘gun gesture.’

A viral X post that spread the claim, which has more than four million views as of this writing, was accompanied by a caption stating, “BREAKING: Iran player Mohammed Mohebi has been deported back to Iran after his gun celebration vs New Zealand."  

The claim spread as leaders of Iran and the US discussed an initial deal to end their war, and US officials reportedly asked Iran's World Cup team to leave the country.

Fact Check: False, the claim originated from a satirical account

Although Mohebi did the gesture, where he depicted a gun with his hands after scoring a goal in the 2-2 match, there is no credible evidence that the player was deported from the US for making a ‘gun gesture.’

A Google search for the claim yielded no relevant results, which, if true, would have been widely reported by reputable news outlets such as The Associated Press or Reuters.

The search results included reports about the US officials reportedly asking the Iranian team to return to Tijuana, Mexico, a few hours after the match against New Zealand in Los Angeles.

Moreover, the claim was posted by an X user, Ball Zone, whose bio reads, ‘Home of football jokes - Satire.’

Iranian team forced to leave the US after match

After the match, Iran’s team had expected to remain overnight in California before returning to its training base in Tijuana the following day; instead, players and staff were reportedly instructed to leave the country shortly after the match and board a flight back to Mexico. 

"They didn't even give us time to recover," head coach Amir Ghalenoei said. "After the game today, they said to us, 'You have to leave immediately.'" 

“We don't know why they are returning us, to be honest," Ghalenoei said. "I think it's very strange. It seems like others are doing the planning for us. The decision-making for us is being made elsewhere."