Iran Team Forced To Leave U.S. Immediately After World Cup Draw

Key Points:

• The Iranian football team was ordered by U.S. officials to leave the country immediately after their 2-2 World Cup group stage draw with New Zealand, despite plans to stay in the U.S. until their next match.
• Iranian coach Amir Ghalenoei described his team as the “most oppressed team in the whole World Cup” due to the forced departure and the refusal of entry to about 13 members of their coaching staff.
• Although all of Iran’s group matches were held in the U.S., the Trump administration denied the team the ability to remain in the country between games amid ongoing political tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
• Prior to the match, Iranian fans displayed pre-revolutionary flags and some Iranian-American protesters criticized the national team for representing the Iranian regime, despite FIFA’s ban on political symbols inside stadiums.
• On the field, Iran twice came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw against New Zealand in their Group G World Cup match.