Misleading, the U.S. did not deport Iran’s player over gun celebration

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Jackson C. Clay Jr.

Claim: A Facebook user named Julius Sello Malema claimed, “DHS has deported Iran’s Mohammad Mohebi following his controversial gun gesture celebration.”

Verdict: Misleading! It was the entire Iranian team that left the U.S. after its opening game of the World Cup. A strict fly-in-fly-out routine was imposed on Iran by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) before the start of the tournament. This means the team will fly into the US from their camp in Mexico a day before their match and fly out immediately after. 

Full Text

Iran and New Zealand posted a pulsating 2-2 in their opening Group G encounter, but the headlines were the goal celebration by Iran’s player, Mohammed Mohebi, after he scored the equalising goal for his country in the ongoing World Cup campaign taking place in three countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Mohebi, after scoring for his country, pointed to the spectators with his two hands and fingers shaped like a firearm being discharged into the crowd, demonstrating the use of a gun on U.S. soil.

The gesture by the Iranian player has triggered some controversy in the ongoing World Cup.

Shortly after, a social media (Facebook) user who goes by the name Julius Sello Malema has claimed that the United States has deported Iranian player, Mohammed Mohebi, over his gun celebration.

Malema took to his official Facebook page, claiming, 

“Iran’s Mohammad Mohebi has been deported by DHS following his controversial gun gesture celebration after scoring in Iran’s 2-2 World Cup draw against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.”

The claimant further stated that the deportation triggered worldwide outrage and called for FIFA to investigate the matter, describing the ongoing World Cup as a politically charged tournament.

The post generated 9.9k reactions, 2.2k comments, and over 400 shares from the time it was posted until this report was compiled. 

The US-Iran War

It is important to verify this claim because of the volatile political background and context surrounding the US and Iran on one hand and Iran and Israel on the other.

On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, killing the country’s supreme leader, which triggered the Iran-US-Israel war. The fighting escalated quickly, spreading to Lebanon, with casualties and damage mounting on all sides.

The conflict quickly spread across the Middle East following Iran’s response to the attack by launching strikes on multiple Israeli and US-allied states in the Gulf.

However, the US and Iran have since agreed to a conditional ceasefire, effective from 7 April.

It appears the political tension and diplomatic fallout in the Gulf Region has found its way into the biggest football extravaganza- the World Cup, which is currently underway in three host countries- the US, Canada, and Mexico.

So was Iran’s Mohammad Mohebi truly deported after his gun-gesture celebration?

Verification

To verify this claim, the researcher checked major international news outlets, including the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Cable News Network (CNN), but found nothing to support it. 

However, according to a Fox News report, Iran’s coach, Amir Ghalenoei, said that his team was ordered to leave the U.S. and return to its training camp in Mexico after their opening match with New Zealand that ended in a 2-2 draw

Coach Ghalenoei told Fox News, “The team had expected to spend the night in California to maximise the normal recovery process after its opening game, only to be told after the match that everyone must immediately get on a plane for the 140-mile trip back to Tijuana.”

In response, the Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CNN that it was agreed by both the United States and Iran that, upon playing their games on U.S. soil, they would quickly leave the United States 

Conclusion

Following the search conducted and available evidence, the viral claim that DHS has deported Iran’s Mohammad Mohebi following his controversial gun gesture celebration is false.