Iran says Spain World Cup win brings joy to critics of US, Israel

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing AFP and Iranian state media, reported that Iran congratulated Spain after its 1-0 win over Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final, framing the result as a moment of satisfaction for people opposed to the United States and Israel. The report was published on July 20, 2026, after Spain’s victory and amid wider political attention around Madrid’s positions on Gaza and Iran.

According to the article, Iranian officials linked support for Spain to the Spanish government’s criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza and its condemnation of the US-Israel war on Iran. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, identified in the report as Iran’s top negotiator, said in remarks carried by IRNA that Spain’s stance in support of Palestinians and Iran reflected positively on the country. He described the result as a source of happiness beyond Spain, including for “justice-loving” nations.

Al Jazeera also reported that Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei praised both the Spanish national team’s conduct and Spain’s recent political stance against what he called aggression and oppression. The article contrasted that reaction with support for Argentina from Israeli politicians and fans, noting Argentina President Javier Milei’s strong backing of Israel’s policies.

The episode underscores how major sporting events can become tied to diplomatic disputes and public opinion far beyond the field. In this case, Iran used Spain’s World Cup triumph to highlight Madrid’s positions on Gaza and Iran, while the final also drew attention because of Argentina’s political alignment under Milei.