TEHRAN, Oct 24: Iran’s judiciary warned the nation’s soccer fans Wednesday against disrupting public order and announced that a special court had been set up to try those who do, the state IRNA news agency said.

“A special court has been created to try those people accused of disrupting public order,” and notably those who “destroy public property,” the judiciary statement said.

Although the statement made no direct reference to football-related rioting, it comes just two days after trouble broke out in Tehran and other parts of the country after Iran’s 3-1 defeat by Bahrain in a vital World Cup qualifier.

The statement pointed out that agitators must be distinguished from those who are merely “expressing their joy.”

Iran now face a home and away play-off on October 25 and 31 against the United Arab Emirates to decide who will play the Republic of Ireland for a place in the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea next year.—AFP