When a state actively wages war against the core pillars of a country’s heritage, any institution operating under its direct banner loses its national legitimacy.

Mohammad Dadkan, the former president of the Football Federation of Iran, said something in an interview with the Rouydad24 website that ...

The football tournament is forcing many Iranian Americans to choose between celebrating their heritage and rejecting the government that claims to represent it.

Team Melli's aspirations on the field have been overshadowed by what has been an especially trying year for Iranians.

“In Iran, no one truly cares about football now, just as no one seems to care about the hardship and difficult living conditions of the Iranian people,” says citizen in Tehran.

When a state actively wages war against the core pillars of a country’s heritage, any institution operating under its direct banner loses its national legitimacy.

Sport and politics tangle over visas, sanctions and fan support