Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi expressed concern that the ongoing controversies surrounding their participation in the World Cup detract from FIFA’s message of peace. He acknowledged feeling the prevailing tensions just prior to their arrival in Los Angeles, coinciding with the announcement of a peace agreement.
On Sunday, the Iranian squad flew to Los Angeles from Tijuana, Mexico, where they had been relocated due to ongoing visa disputes. They anticipate facing backlash from some Iranian expatriates who believe the national team fails to truly represent the country. The team has encountered numerous challenges leading up to the tournament, including several officials being denied entry into the United States.
“This kind of tension undermines that joy and it undermines the message of Fifa and our people, which is about football and bringing about peace,” Taremi remarked. “I think this World Cup could have provided a better atmosphere than it has and I hope in the future it will be better for all fans, whoever they are supporting. “It’s not just Iran that has been impacted, others have been impacted, including referees [the Somali official Omar Artan was denied entry]. I have felt the tension from the first moment we arrived at this World Cup. Of course, we don’t have the same beautiful experience we usually talk about – peace and joy. I know several countries had visa problems and changing of training camps. The tension exists – it did before the World Cup even started. The feeling, the sensation people always have looking forward to a World Cup, I think this time they hadn’t had the same feeling.”
He added, “Iran will be playing as locals in Los Angeles, in spite of it all,” Taremi noted that several countries faced visa issues and training camp changes, contributing to a sense of unease.
The team landed in Los Angeles on their second attempt after encountering difficulties during their flight. Upon reaching their hotel in Manhattan Beach, they were met by Iranian protesters, part of a large community of 375,000 Iranians residing in California, the largest Iranian diaspora outside of their home country. A significant police presence, including drones and sniffer dogs, was also noted. The area known as “We are here to play football and we are here to represent the respectful people of Iran, be it the Iranians inside of Iran or the diaspora,” is heavily populated by Iranians. Iran’s head coach Amir Ghalenoi stated, “We are only thinking about our country. We’re not political people and the slogan of Fifa is this, that football is separate from politics. We respect each and every one of the Iranians.”
Approximately 35,000 Iranian supporters are expected to attend their Group G match against New Zealand, with many planning to protest against the team prior to kickoff. Ghalenoi commented, “We were supposed to start training earlier, but, look, we arrived late and we didn’t have enough time to adjust, of course that will affect us,”
Ghalenoi acknowledged the impact of their complicated travel on their preparations: “I know my players are determined to do their utmost. I hope the World Cup will go well despite the travel problems we’ve had … I hope it will not affect the quality of our play.” he noted. “The players of the national team play for every Iranian … People have different opinions but we are here as footballers to unite people and we will try to bring joy to all Iranians, irrespective of where they live. Everyone can have their own opinion. We are not here to get involved in politics, we are here to play football.”
Upon arrival, the team reportedly cleared customs without issue, although they were about 20 minutes late for their pre-match press conference at So-Fi Stadium. Taremi stated, “Serdar Azmoun is an excellent player and has done a lot for the national team, but he is not with us and we wish he was, but this is football, sorry,”
In addition, Ghalenoi addressed the absence of Sardar Azmoun amid reports of a perceived disloyalty to the Iranian government. Azmoun, currently playing in the UAE, is said to have angered officials by posting a photo with UAE ruler Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, given Iran’s contentious relations with the UAE. “Sardar Azmoun is an excellent player and has done a lot for the national team, but he is not with us and we wish he was, but this is football, sorry,” Ghalenoi remarked.
Another issue for FIFA is the potential of supporters bringing flags that feature the historical flag of Iran, which includes a lion and a sun, predating the Islamic Revolution. This flag is prohibited in stadiums during the World Cup. A FIFA official responded to a question regarding the flag by stating it was not relevant to the game.
