Less than 150 miles from Los Angeles’ World Cup stadium, the Iranian national team is staying at a hotel in Tijuana, Mexico. The hotel is barricaded, with police and members of the Mexican National Guard stationed outside.

Support from Fans

Despite the tensions surrounding Iran’s participation in the World Cup, the mood inside the hotel is relaxed and jubilant. Several dozen fans have gathered to show their support for the team, including some who have traveled from Los Angeles and other parts of the United States.

One fan, 13-year-old Lucas Zarrabi, said he wanted to come and support the team because he loves Iranian soccer. Another fan, Abbas Eftekhari, who was born in Iran and has lived in the US for over 40 years, said that the team is facing unfair conditions, including being forced to move their base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana.

Challenges Faced by the Team

The Iranian team has been vocal about the obstacles they are facing, including being denied US visas for 11 team officials and staff members. The team has also been restricted from arriving two days before matches and must leave immediately after the game.

The team’s secretary-general, Hedayat Mombeini, said that the restrictions are having a negative effect on the team, but they are trying to overcome them with their Iranian pride.

Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.