Title: Tractor Responds to Rival’s Fixture Protest with Pointed Statement
Tehran – A recent decision by the Iranian football league to reschedule a cup match has sparked a public exchange between two of the country’s premier football clubs, highlighting the intense and politically resonant rivalries within domestic sports.
The Initial Protest
The controversy began after the league organization approved a request from Tractor FC of Tabriz to postpone its cup match against Persepolis. This administrative move prompted immediate and vocal criticism from the management of fellow Tehran giant, Esteghlal.
The protest was first signaled by Mehdi Vaezi, Esteghlal’s media manager, who published a post on social media under his characteristic “Media Fact” banner. The dissent was then formally escalated this morning when Beyjan Taheri, the head of Esteghlal, gave an interview to the club’s official media outlet, registering an official complaint against the decision.
A Pointed Rebuttal
Hours after Esteghlal’s public objections, Tractor FC issued a formal response. In a statement laden with pointed sarcasm and irony, the Tabriz-based club answered its critics. Notably, the carefully worded rebuttal did not explicitly name Esteghlal, choosing instead to address the grievances indirectly while firmly standing by its original request and the league’s subsequent approval.
The exchange underscores how administrative decisions in Iranian football are often scrutinized through the lens of longstanding club rivalries, which carry significant cultural and social weight for their millions of supporters across the nation.