Iran’s soccer team arrived in the United States (US) for ​the first time at this World Cup on Sunday, landing at Los Angeles International Airport and holding a press conference on the same day that ‌a peace deal between the two nations was announced.

The Iran squad arrived after a short flight from Tijuana, Mexico, where they left their base camp earlier to a rousing sendoff ahead of their opening game against New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium on Monday.

“I am very happy to be representing the great, proud and strong nation of Iran,” Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said through a translator in a press conference at the stadium.
“I hope that football ​will bring about joy and enjoyment, and bring closer the cultures and countries.”

The squad’s Group G fixture against New Zealand will be played against the backdrop of ​the US war with Iran and the newly-announced peace deal, adding a charged atmosphere to a contest between two nations who have never ⁠met at a World Cup.

Iran moved their World Cup base camp from a sports complex in Arizona to Mexico late last month after the US and Israel conducted joint strikes on ​Iran beginning in late February.

Iran will now have to make the trip from Mexico to the US for each of their three group matches and Ghalenoei said the travel and the ​denial of visas into the US for some members of their soccer federation had negatively affected the squad.

The US-Iran deal to end the war will be signed during an official ceremony on Friday in Switzerland, US President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on social media on Sunday.

While the squad flew to Los Angeles, a group of protesters calling for democracy in Iran ​and denouncing its government rallied near Los Angeles Stadium.

“No Shah No Mullah in Iran  Regime Change by Iranians,” said placards. Pictures and posters of athletes who protesters said had died ​after being arrested by the Iranian government lined a busy street corner in Inglewood.

The January crackdown on protests in Iran, which rights groups and activists say killed thousands – and possibly tens of thousands – was ‌a particular ⁠outrage to Mojgan Ramezani, 56, an Iranian American at the rally.

“They’re holding hostage their own people,” said Ramezani.

Hassan Haddadi, 70, said he was frustrated that most of the world’s governments had done little to support change in Iran.

“We’re hoping to bring awareness to the western world, to somehow do something beyond just condemning, to bring an end to this regime,” said Haddadi.
Ghalenoei said the squad’s players and coaches were “not political people.”

“We are here to play football and represent the respectful people of Iran, be it the Iranians inside Iran or the Iranian diaspora.”

–Reuters–