Iranian Americans are torn over Iran’s participation in the World Cup, as some community members plan to watch Monday’s match and others plan to protest outside the stadium where the team will play.
A rally is planned for outside the stadium near Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran. Many of Southern California’s Iranian Americans arrived after the 1979 Revolution, and a hub of eateries, shops and markets about 10 miles (16 kilometres) from the stadium is known as “Tehrangeles.”
Iran’s participation in the tournament has been fraught with conflict because of the country’s war with the US and Israeli forces. The team moved its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Mexico, and some of the country’s key soccer officials had not been granted visas to enter the United States. Many in the diaspora have mixed feelings over how to show their support of the Iranian people, but not the government, through their love of soccer.
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“We play for every Iranian, be it in the diaspora or in Iran. People have different opinions, but we are here to unite people, and we will try to bring joy to all Iranians wherever they live,” team captain Mehdi Taremi said at a press conference Sunday. “We are here to bring joy to the Iranian people. We do not get involved in politics. We are here to play football.”
Reza Garajedaghi, 57, said he will watch the game with his 96-year-old father in San Diego. He said he didn’t buy tickets for the game, partly because of the sky-high pricing. But he said he supports the team, politics aside, while respecting the wide range of views shared by Iranians in the diaspora.
“I’m a football die-hard, and the boys, they’re representing all Persians, Iranians around the world,” said Garajedaghi, who left Iran when he was 10 years old. “To me, it has nothing to do with whatever government they have in Iran.”
