The Iranian government, along with its regional proxy groups, is preparing to respond to Israel for the embarrassing assassination of Hamas's Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, who was supposed to be well protected.
The delegation was wearing white jackets with black clothing, the women all with compulsory hijabs with film and television actor Behrang Alavi posting on Instagram: "Wishing success for the injections team."
Public figures and media outlets have not held back in their criticism.
State TV host Elmira Sharifimoghaddam said on air, "The Iranian team looked as if a team of doctors and nurses had gone to Paris."
The moderate-conservative website, Asr-e Iran, highlighted the consistently poor choice of attire for the delegations as they travel to the Games over the years, controversy around uniforms nothing new for Iran.
"Since the London 2012 Olympics, Rio de Janeiro 2016, Tokyo 2021, and now in Paris, the issue of strange, bizarre, and ugly clothing designs has been a consistent source of embarrassment," they wrote.
"It is astonishing that the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee have not been able to provide an elegant and dignified outfit for the Iranian team for the Paris Olympics in the past three years."
Adding fuel to the fire, there was no official unveiling ceremony for the uniforms before the team's departure, a shift from tradition likely intended to avoid immediate backlash.
The Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee have faced intense scrutiny, with many questioning the transparency and rationale behind their choices.
Asieh Amini, a social issues analyst, told Iran International that in 2021, 31 billion rials (over $160,000 at the time) were allocated for athletes' clothing, “but this year, we don't even know how much has been spent", she said, as the country faces its worst ever economic crisis.
She added, "These uniforms have no connection to a country with various ethnic groups and their beautiful traditional clothes. How is it possible that, with all our ethnicities, traditions, and high potential, what we show to the world is so tasteless?”
Asr-e Iran's review added, "The Olympics is the most important sporting event for all athletes worldwide. With these ugly outfits, we completely destroy our athletes' morale and confidence from the opening day, and then we expect them to bring home the best medals."
Some have also shared AI-generated photos depicting how the Iran team uniforms might have looked if designed by AI.
Mahsa Javar, a national rowing athlete and brand ambassador for the Iranian sports delegation's clothing, defended the designs in a controversial social media post, calling the critics "uncultured."
Her comments only intensified the backlash, with many advising her to focus on her performance rather than engage in the controversy. However, she later apologized for her comments, stating that the athletes, like others, are not happy with the uniform.
The 2016 Rio Olympics saw a major uproar over the bizarre design and color choices, leading to a complete redesign. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics followed a similar pattern, with athletes wearing turquoise blue attire and white masks, which were widely criticized, none of which bore the colors of Iran's national flag.
Prominent sports website Varzesh-3 vented frustration saying the opportunity on the Olympics' "grand stage" has been missed, once again. "Most other countries use this opportunity to showcase the most beautiful aspects of their culture and civilization. We, however, consistently fail to present a respectable image," she said.
Allegations of cronyism have also surfaced. Mojtaba Pourbakhsh, a former TV host, revealed that the design contract initially awarded to the Majid brand or Merooj Inc. was abruptly handed over to the Hectaton brand, owned by Ali Aajdarkosh.
The Majid brand is owned by the Abdolmajid Saedifar family. They operate under a company named Majid Merooj Iranians, which was established in 2010. The quality of the national football, wrestling, and volleyball team uniforms designed by the company has faced criticism in recent years.
The Hectaton brand is also owned by a company named Pishgaman Danily Aras. This company was established in 2012 and, like Majid Merooj Iranians, is family-operated under the ownership of Ali Ajdarkosh.
Ajdarkosh's close ties with sports officials and athletes, along with his sponsorship of various events, have raised questions about the integrity of the selection process.
According to Pourbakhsh, the National Olympic Committee, whose secretary has been Manaf Hashemi since 2022, initially signed a multi-billion contract with the Majid brand for the design and production of the uniforms. However, the project was later handed over to the Ajdarkosh family.
Another official responsible for selecting the Iranian team's outfits for the Olympics is Mahmoud Khosravi Vafa. Khosravi Vafa has been the President of the National Olympic Committee since September 2022. In 1980 and 1981, he served as a bodyguard for Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, for a short period.
Rouydad 24 reported that the Iranian government's direct intervention and preference for close associates in selecting the clothing designer bypassed usual formalities, leading to the current debacle.
"This time, everything happened behind the scenes," said Majid Nami, a member of the Clothing Union. "The result is a disgraceful representation of our culture and heritage."
“Cronyism and connections are two factors that prevent transparency in the procurement of uniforms for national and Olympic teams. If high-level decision-making and the Iranian government were free from cronyism and connections, there would be no other reason to obscure this process," said Amini in her interview with Iran International.
She also called the industry a "mafia", saying, "When you have this mafia behind all your operations and decisions, it is definitely necessary to be transparent. But to avoid accountability, you are forced to conceal everything and keep it shrouded in ambiguity. And then, when it's all over, they say it's too late to do anything about it,” she said.
“The issue is that this lack of accountability and transparency has become routine in the Islamic Republic. Corruption has essentially become a standard practice among the managers of the Islamic Republic,” she added.
As the Middle East teeters on the brink of a broader conflict, Iran's rhetoric has reached fever pitch, with top officials and media demanding revenge.
Five sources told Reuters that a high-level meeting has been scheduled in Tehran, drawing representatives from Iran's regional proxies. These include factions from Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen, signaling a united front under the "Axis of Resistance" banner.
Among the attendees will be figures from Hezbollah, the Houthis, and various Iraqi resistance groups, all gathering to deliberate on the nature and scale of the response to Haniyeh's killing.
According to the report, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior officials from the Revolutionary Guards are expected to lead the discussions.
"Iran and the resistance members will conduct a thorough assessment after the meeting in Tehran to find the best and most effective way to retaliate against the Zionist regime (Israel)," said a senior Iranian official, with direct knowledge of the meeting.
However, CNN reported that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent a message through Qatar asking the Islamic Republic not to retaliate for the assassination of Haniyeh.
According to the report, the United States has asked Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, to send messages to the Islamic Republic and Hezbollah, urging de-escalation and refraining from retaliatory actions.
The conflicting reports on the cause of Haniyeh's death have further fueled the charged atmosphere. The New York Times reported that Haniyeh was killed in a bomb explosion.
According to the report, the bomb was secretly brought into the guesthouse where Haniyeh was staying almost two months earlier.
Other media outlets reported an airstrike on Haniyeh's residence. The Fars News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, had written that Haniyeh was targeted with a "projectile from the air."
Amidst this confusion, Iran's leadership has not hesitated to voice its intent to retaliate. "The Zionist regime will undoubtedly regret it," stated General Mohammad Baqeri, Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces, highlighting the Iran's determination to exact a reprisal. Bagheri also mentioned that Tehran is currently considering the appropriate response to avenge the assassination of Haniyeh.
The escalation comes on the heels of another Israeli strike, which targeted a senior Hezbollah commander near Beirut, killed just hours before Haniyeh. The dual assassinations have exacerbated fears of a broader conflict encompassing Israel, Iran, and their respective allies.
Israeli officials, meanwhile, have remained tight-lipped, neither confirming nor denying involvement in Haniyeh's assassination. However, Israeli air force chief Tomer Bar reiterated Israel's readiness to defend its citizens.
"We are also strongly prepared in defense. Hundreds of aerial defense soldiers, along with air control personnel, are stationed across the country with the best systems, ready to carry out their mission," said Bar.
The funeral for Haniyeh in Tehran on Thursday, attended by significant figures from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other Iran-funded militant groups, further underscored the deep ties between Iran and its proxy forces.
Hamas's armed wing declared that the assassination of Haniyeh would "take the battle to new dimensions and have major repercussions."
An Iraqi militia local commander stated, "Iran asked key commanders of the Iraqi resistance groups to travel to Tehran on Wednesday to attend an urgent meeting to discuss retaliation against recent Israeli strikes, including in Lebanon and Iran and the US strike in Iraq." The US had intercepted an attack en-route to Israel.
Another source from the militia indicated that these commanders went to Tehran not only to attend Haniyeh's funeral but also to participate in a "top urgent meeting" aimed at planning the next steps for retaliating against Israel and the United States.
On Thursday, Iranian President Pezeshkian also reaffirmed support for Palestine. Pezeshkian conveyed to Hamas deputy chief in Gaza, Khalil Al-Hayya, that both his government and the leader of the Islamic Republic "will not waver in their support for Palestine."
He further emphasized, "We will continue to support and back the axis of resistance with even greater determination."
The "axis of resistance," a term coined by the Islamic Republic, refers to its coalition of proxy forces in the region. This coalition includes Palestinian militant groups, the Syrian regime, the Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah, and various other factions.
Ali Akbar Ahmadian, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated to Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency, "All fronts of the resistance will take revenge for Haniyeh's blood."
Abdollah Ganji, the former editor of the IRGC-linked Javan newspaper, posted on X that the Islamic Republic has officially warned Arab countries in the region that if they allow Israel to use their airspace, they will become a "legitimate target."
Some media outlets attributed this warning to Ali Bagheri Kani, the acting foreign minister, who emphasized, "This action will undoubtedly take place. A range of measures must be implemented, and the Zionists will inevitably come to regret it."
On April 13, Iran launched over 350 missiles and drones toward Israel, claiming it was a response to Israel's alleged deadly strike on Iran's embassy compound in Damascus on April 1. However, almost all of the barrage was intercepted and shot down.
Former senior Revolutionary Guards Commander Esmail Kosari told state TV that "Iran's response to the assassination of Martyr Haniyeh will be stronger than before."
At Haniyeh's funeral, Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, head of the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, emphasized the need for effective deterrence through proportionate actions. He remarked, "When a Hamas leader is martyred, one of the main leaders of Israel must be eliminated."
Iran's media landscape has also been vocal, with publications like Kayhan, which is closely aligned with the Supreme Leader, calling for a robust response. The newspaper suggested that Iran and its allies should consider striking American assets, implicating the United States as a complicit actor in the assassination due to its support for Israel.
"Now, with just a glance around, one can see dozens of strategic hubs and American intelligence and military centers that are easily within our reach. Ain al-Assad was one example. The base of the US Fifth Fleet on the shores of Bahrain is another example. American vessels carrying fuel and goods in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman could also be potential targets," added Kayhan.
Amid the developments, there are calls within Iran for a reassessment of security protocols. Criticism has surfaced regarding the apparent lapses that allowed such a high-profile assassination to occur on Iranian soil. Conservative voices like Jomhouri-e Eslami daily have demanded a thorough purge within the country's intelligence and security agencies to prevent future breaches and ensure accountability.
