Mehran Samak said to have been shot in the head after honking his car horn in delight after Iran’s defeat by the USA At least 30 people shot and wounded by security forces as protesters cheered the team’s exit, rights group said LONDON: A man was killed by Iranian security forces in Bandar Anzali on Tuesday as anti-government protesters celebrated the national football team’s elimination from the World Cup following a 1-0 defeat by the USA, nongovernmental organization Iran Human Rights reported. Many Iranians chose not to support their national football team during the tournament in Qatar because they viewed it as a symbol of the Islamic Republic, the BBC reported. Videos posted online showed protesters across the country, particularly in the Kurdish northwest of Iran, publicly cheering after the team were knocked out of the competition. Among them was Mehran Samak, a 27-year-old reportedly shot in the head after honking his car horn in celebration of the defeat. A video obtained by BBC Persian appeared to show mourners at his funeral on Wednesday chanting an anti-regime slogan: “You are the filth, you are the immoral, I am a free woman.” In Sanandaj, protesters were filmed dancing along to music, while in Kermanshah and Marivan they were heard chanting the popular slogan “Woman, life, freedom.” State-affiliated media accused forces inside and outside of Iran of being unfair to the national team and putting pressure on the players. Iranian officials deny killing peaceful protesters but videos posted on 1500tasvir, a social media channel for opposition activists, appear to show security forces opening fire on people in Behbahan and assaulting a woman in Qazvin. At least 30 people were shot and wounded by security forces while celebrating the World Cup defeat in Marivan, Sanandaj, Kermanshah, Saqqez, Ilam and Bukan, according to Kurdish human rights group Hengaw.