Iran’s participation in the men’s soccer World Cup in North America has divided the Iranian community in the United States into factions.
AP News discusses the issue.
While thousands of fans of Iran’s national team poured into Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood for the team’s 2-2 draw against New Zealand, several hundred Iranian-American protesters gathered outside the game last night to protest and demand change in their homeland.
There, the protesters waved the lion and sun flag used for the Iranian revolution in 1979.
The crowd both cheered and booed as Iran’s national anthem was played before the match, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Some spectators held large lion and sun flags on the front benches just hours after a court upheld FIFA’s ban on the flag.
The Iranian national team celebrates tonight.
AFP/Patrick T. Fallon
Want to separate politics and football
Outside the stadium, protesters claimed the national team was aligned with Tehran’s government, while supporters, many wearing red and green face paint, marched past, saying they wanted to keep soccer and politics separate. At one point, protesters ripped off a supporter’s official Iranian flag, stomped on it and shredded it.
Southern California is home to the largest Iranian community outside of Iran, many of whom immigrated after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Supporters and protesters fought outside the stadium and inside the stadium before and after the game, and security guards had to intervene several times during the game.
Iran fans on the field.
AFP/Etienne Laurent
Players want to stick to football
The players of the Iranian team prefer to discuss football rather than politics, as stated in an interview with Mehdi Taremi, the main star of the team, after the game.
However, he was happy with the team’s supporters on the field.
“The atmosphere was amazing throughout the game. It was like playing at home,” said Taremi.
The Iranian team is staying in Mexico and was ordered to leave the United States and return to the training camp in Mexico just hours after the game. Coach Amir Ghalenoei said this, but he did not explain who had given the order.
Iran will next face Belgium and then Egypt, but both games will take place in the United States.
