The Iranian national team arrives in Los Angeles on Sunday, on the eve of the start of its campaign in the 2026 FIFA World Cup against New Zealand, in a match being held on American soil under the pressure of the tense geopolitical context resulting from the war in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Deniyamali warned that his country would closely monitor “flags and slogans,” threatening to stop the match if symbols hostile to the Islamic Republic appeared.