CURITIBA, Brazil (AP) — Hundreds of noisy Iranian football fans cheered their team Saturday as it arrived in the southern Brazilian city of Curitiba for its first game of the World Cup.
For one man of faith, the joy highlighted how football can bring people together in a way that religion and politics often don’t.
“They are chanting my country, that for sure has special feeling,” said local Sheikh Mohammed Sadigh Ibrahimi. “Now you can see Iranians, Iraqis, Brazilians, Slovenians, Polish, all together.”
Curitiba has a significant Muslim population, and the Sheikh’s mosque is renowned in the world of Islam.
Most of the crowd seemed to be local. Some of the supporters had come from outside of Iran, which has been isolated over its nuclear program.
After the short flight from Sao Paulo , Team Melli landed in Curtiba and settled down in preparation for the vital first match against Nigeria on Monday.
The team arrived at Curtiba airport at 1800 local time and after being ushered through fast track channels , the team bus bearing Iran colors and themes was escorted to Hotel Pestana Curtiba, a 5 star hotel in the center of the city.
The city’s population numbered approximately 1,760,500 people as of 2010, making it the eighth most populous city in the country, and the largest in Brazil’s South Region. Compared to Sao Paulo , the biggest city in Brazil and Latin America , Curtiba seems to bea sleepy town.
There is no sign of the traffic jams , bottlenecks, noise and the difficulties of the movement. The weather in this southerly city and the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Paraná is perfect for football. On Saturday Evening the temperature was 20 degrees Celsius.
After checking into their rooms , the players were allowed to come down the reception and out of the street to greet the enthusiastic fans. Many Brazilians were among the crowds who wanted to see Team Melli players and get their autograph. A Balcony opposite of the hotel was full of people trying to catch a glimpse on the commotion downstairs.
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Iran Team arrives in Curitiba to play on Monday
14.06.2014 | 19:12 |
Report by DIEGO RIBEIRO
Gazeta Do Povo – Translated from Portuguese
Team Melli squad arrived in Curitiba in the early evening of Saturday (14) to play the first match of the World in the city, against the Nigerians, on Monday (16).
Greeted by dozens of supporters, the Iranians landed in Afonso Pena airport under heavy security.
Upon reaching the hotel, the players were pleasantly surprised by fans, many Iranians, who shouted the name of the country and raised Iranian flags. In the warm welcome, the players left the bags at the hotel and quickly turned up at the hotel entrances to greet the fans.
Traffic on Rua Comendador Araújo, where the Prestana Curtiba Haotel is situated , was blocked for nearly an hour to facilitate the delegation enter the hotel. Despite slow traffic, the bus arrived at the hotel an hour after landing at Afonso Pena Airport. Iran will get a chance for a workout on the lawn of the Arena da Baixada on Sunday at 14:30.
Reception
The arrival of Iran to Curitiba brought optimism and good humor of the fans. Away from the political disputes of the Middle East, they were able to express themselves more freely about politics and sports.
The merchant Saatsaz Vahid, 33, is Iranian, but living in Curitiba for six months now. With Portuguese accent and reasonable language spoken , he is optimistic about the presence of the Team Melli in the city. “We will win by 2-1,” said, carrying his two years old daughter Linda,.
Saatsaz is still trying to get tickets for himself and his family. The merchant does not have fond memories of the Iranian Cups in retrospect, but a memory no one can take away. “In 1998, in France, we defeated the United States. I’m happy with that the Team Melli is here in Curtiba, even though I don’t have tickets for the match ” he said laughing.
Beside him is another Iranian, Arash Memaris, 44, who lives in Mexico and came to Brazil to watch all the matches of Iran From Guadalajara, the Mexican Chivas twists.
“I’ll see all of the group matches and we will move to the second round,” he says proudly, while showing photos of the games tickets for Iran against Nigeria, Argentina and Bosnia.
“Obama is not coming”
Dozens of police and about ten police cars, and army soldiers and Federal Police officers accompanied the of the Iranian national team all the way from the landing of Afonso Pena Airport to Hotel Pestana, Rua Comendador Araujo, in Batel.
The overenthusiastic crowds around the Iranian team turned the occasion of their team arrival and the tight security into a light hearted joke . “Obama is not coming,” joked Memaris, in English, who was surprised at the police barriers that closed the road and divided the spectators from the hotel entrance.
Palestine and Israel alone in the city
Among the dozens of fans that accompanied the arrival of the Persian national team in Curitiba were many Arabs, Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian origin. Many of them were carrying banner calling for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel leaders!
The demonstration sparked the curiosity of the Israeli journalist Ori Cooper, the Tel Aviv daily Yedioth Ahronoth, who is in Curitiba following the national team pf Nigeria and Iran. He was able to interview some Arabs and Iranians after some of them showed ugly faces when they realized his country of origin . Cooper eventually approached by the president of the Arab Brazilian Society Moutih Ibrahim, after speaking in Hebrew during the story.
“Here in Brazil Jews and Arabs are at peace. It is the only country in the world that is so, “said Ibrahim. The two shook hands cordially. “We’re like cousins. They are our neighbors. In football we are friends. “ About politics, the two were reticent, but Cooper summarized. “In politics it is different,” he says.