Mixed emotions among diaspora as Iran begins World Cup campaign
Why does this event matter?
Tonight, Iran begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles.
Tonight, Iran begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles. It's a match taking place under unprecedented conditions. For the first time in World Cup history, a host nation is at war with one of its participating teams. That conflict is shaping everything around Iran's presence in the United States: from strict restrictions on where the team can be based, to divisions within the Iranian diaspora itself.
