Iran's World Cup Run Exposes Deep Divisions in US Diaspora
As Iran kicked off its World Cup campaign, protests and celebrations unfolded side by side outside the stadium near Los Angeles. Iranian-American demonstrators waved pre-revolutionary lion-and-sun flags and called for political change in Tehran, while other fans backed Team Melli, insisting football should remain separate from politics. The contrasting scenes highlighted deep divisions within the Iranian diaspora, with the World Cup becoming a stage not only for sport but also for competing visions of Iran's future.
