By Hatem MaherINGLEWOOD, California June 15 (Reuters) - Whistles drowned out parts of Iran's national anthem while other fans sang along, setting the tone for a World Cup opener that often felt more significant for political allegiances than the football on show.Before a crowd of more than 70,000 in Los Angeles, home to the world's largest Iranian diaspora, supporters waved flags, chanted and revealed starkly different loyalties as Iran fought back twice to secure a 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday.

Iran began their World Cup campaign in Los Angeles on Monday with a 2-2 draw against New Zealand, before a crowd that mixed fans cheering the team and Iranian Americans waving…

Iranian football fans outside SoFi Stadium ahead of the Iran and New Zealand match say they are anti-regime but pro-Iranian team.