Iranian state TV finalises live coverage rights dea for World Cup

DPA - The Iranian state news television network IRIB has finalised the deal for obtaining the live coverage rights for the upcoming World Cup games, the news agency ISNA reported Tuesday.

IRIB will broadcast live 30 of the 64 games in the first round and all games from the second round up to the final, ISNA reported.

The games, which will include Iran's group matches, will simultaneously be broadcast live on the sports radio channel as well, ISNA added.

ISNA did not disclose how much the deal was worth but had earlier reported that the rights would be purchased from an Arabic company in charge of the Middle East area.

The IRIB commercial department has already started a campaign to attract companies to have commercials before, during halftime and after the games, which ISNA said will have the highest ever rate per minute.

IRIB has since 1990 broadcast the World Cup games live but with a delay of several seconds in order to replace un-Islamic scenes, such as women not sufficiently clothed, with other pictures.

During the 1990 and 1994 games, the replaced pictures were rather irrelevant like for example during a game between two European teams in 1994 in the USA when IRIB suddenly showed Argentinian fans waving their national flags.

Since 1998 the replaced scenes became more relevant showing earlier pictures from the same game or replays of goalmouth scenes.

Iranian officials have already confirmed that a considerable number of tickets have been purchased by Iranian opposition groups, who they fear will try use the global World Cup attention to make political propaganda in the stadiums against the Islamic system in Tehran.

Many football fans are therefore concerned that the delays of the live coverage of the Iranian games would be longer than before so as avoid pictures of political protests by the opposition groups.