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 symbols of protest against the government in Tehran. The match was played barely 24 hours after the announcement of a preliminary agreement to end the war that the United States and Israel launched against Iran in February.

When Iran takes to the field on Monday for the first game of its World Cup, Sara Barahman will be among the thousands of protesters outside the stadium waving a very specific…

Iran's national men's football team arrived in the United States on Sunday, June 15. | Football News

Protests and tension threatened to turn match into political flashpoint

Iranian Americans are torn over Iran’s participation in this year’s World Cup