In an interview with ANI, Jebelli said, "All Iranians are free to express their opinions about different events in Iran or outside Iran but I don't think that Iranian players refusing to sing the national anthem was a sign of supporting the anti-hijab protest."
"Iran has no problem with our football team players refusing to sing the national anthem during a FIFA match in Doha. We don't have certain rules in Iran. People show respect by standing only during the national anthem," the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) President, Jebelli