Tehran, YJC. Hassan Rouhani and Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed gratitude to Iran’s soccer team after last night’s close loss to Argentina.
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad
Javad Zarif in separate remarks expressed gratitude to the country soccer
team’s brilliant show against Argentina on Saturday.
Iran lost the game a close loss which still provided enough reason
for Iranians to celebrate a good show by their kids.
Lionel Messi scored an injury time goal to give Argentina a 1-0
win over Iran at the World Cup on Saturday and see them through to the knockout
stage.
Iran resisted argentina's heavyweight attack for 91 minutes and
seemed destined for a famous draw in the Group F encounter until Messi's second
rescue goal in two matches.
President Rouhani in a letter addressed to the national soccer
players wrote "Once more the valiant youth of the Islamic Iran proved their aptitude
to the world. Hereby I have to thank our studious players in the national team
and the technical board who gave joy to the nation with a manly, devoted play
against Argentina and created wonder.”
He added "Although the result was scored in the last minutes, for
me your 90 minutes of beautiful playing and your hope for victory which you
kept to the last moment was source of pride.”
The Minister of Foreign affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif also
congratulated the team for their effort, writing on his Facebook page "Tonight
the kids raised a storm in Brazil. Bully for them for making us proud!”