Controversial Video Introducing Mehdi Taremi at Inter Milan Released Without Qatari Sponsor Branding

The release of a video introducing Mehdi Taremi, the Iranian player who recently joined Inter Milan, has sparked controversy. Inter Milan officially unveiled Taremi as their new player last week, showcasing historical sites in Iran, including Persepolis, and describing him as a 'prince' and a 'shining star' from the 'Persian Gulf'. The video was well-received, especially by Iranian users on social media, leading to a surge in new fans for the Italian club. However, a few hours later, the video was removed from Inter Milan's social media accounts for unspecified reasons, prompting negative reactions from Iranians. According to Iranian state media, the removal was due to a complaint from Qatar Airways, the sponsor of Inter Milan, regarding the use of the term 'Persian Gulf'. In recent years, some Arab countries have replaced 'Persian Gulf' with 'Gulf', which has faced protests from Iranians. Shortly after the video was taken down, Inter Milan re-released it without the Qatari sponsor's branding. Iranian state media claim that pressure from Iranian football fans and their objections to Inter Milan, known as 'Nerazzurri', led to the re-release of Taremi's video. As of the writing of this report, neither Inter Milan nor Qatar Airways has officially commented on the matter. However, it seems unlikely that the re-release of this controversial video, even without the Qatari sponsor's branding, occurred without coordination. Qatar Airways is the main financial supporter of Inter Milan, and their long-term collaboration brings significant benefits to both parties. Thus, Mehdi Taremi is the only new player at Inter Milan whose introduction video was released without the branding of the club's main sponsor. After four years playing for FC Porto in Portugal, where he achieved numerous honors, he joined Inter Milan.