Iran will take on New Zealand in Los Angeles in their opening World Cup match – a day after US President Donald Trump announced that Washington and Tehran had agreed a peace settlement to end months of war.
The West Coast metropolis is home to the largest Iranian diaspora community in the world, so the city is feeling the political weight of the moment.
For a time, it was unclear whether Iran would participate in the tournament or be allowed into the country. US visas for the players were approved only last week, although several members of the delegation – including the head of Iran’s football federation – were denied entry.
Iran were also forced to move their training camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, after authorities indicated that the squad would not be permitted to remain in the US between matches. Instead, they will fly in and out of the US for each game.
Monday's match kicks off at 6pm in Los Angeles (5am GST on Tuesday).
Iran’s first two group-stage matches – against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 – will both be played at LA's SoFi Stadium. Their third match against Egypt will be played in Seattle.
If both Iran and the US finish second in their groups, they could face each other in Dallas on July 3.
Alex Vatanka, an expert on Iran, said there was little indication that Mr Trump's government views the World Cup as an opportunity for sports diplomacy.
“I don’t see any signs that the administration is looking at this as an opportunity to build bridges with the people of Iran,” he said. “This is not two countries at peace – there’s a limit to what you can do on the sports front.”
Instead, he argued that Washington should avoid alienating ordinary Iranians. “You’ve got to keep the people of Iran on your side,” he said. “It’s not an anti-American population. That’s probably the biggest tool the US has.”
Tehrangeles
More than 500,000 Iranian Americans live in the Los Angeles area, the largest concentration outside Iran. Westwood Boulevard, in west Los Angeles, is packed with Iranian restaurants, cafes and bookstores, and the area is also known as Tehrangeles.
The community includes Iranians from different ethnic and religious backgrounds, including Jewish Iranians, Armenians and Assyrians. Many left Iran in the years leading up to the 1979 revolution that toppled the Pahlavi monarchy and brought Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to power.
When the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February, hundreds gathered in Los Angeles and other cities in support, viewing the conflict as a possible route to political change in Iran. As the months dragged on, some of that support softened as hopes of regime change faded.
Many Iranian Americans are nevertheless expected to protest against the national football team’s presence, saying they represent the government rather than the Iranian people.
On Wednesday, dozens of demonstrators gathered outside Los Angeles City Hall, arguing that Iran’s participation in the World Cup gives Tehran a platform to improve its international image, after decades of human rights violations. The demonstrators accuse the regime of killing tens of thousands of dissidents, including athletes.
Further inflaming tension, Fifa has banned Iran’s pre-1979 Lion and Sun flag from stadiums, classifying it as a political symbol under tournament rules.
“I think Fifa has been more politicised this year than any year,” Hoda Katebi, an Iranian-American writer and activist, told The National before the peace deal was announced. “We’re seeing members of the Iranian team and support staff denied visas. We’re seeing, obviously, the United States is currently bombing Iran.”
Ms Katebi said Iranian Americans' views vary on Monday's match and the players. While many in Los Angeles will protest or boycott the game, other die-hard football fans have bought pricey tickets to cheer on their team inside the stadium.
Others, including her, sympathise with the players and view them as athletes who need to stay silent. “Will I watch Iran play on TV? Yes. Do I hope Iran advances and gets to play the United States? Yes. And do I want Iran to win that match? Obviously, yes.”
