Others like Mr Roozbeh Farahanipour, an Iranian-American activist who fled Iran in 2000, said he would not watch the team play and will not support them because he believes they represent the current government.
“In the community, the majority of them support the team. So, regardless of whether they like or dislike the regime, the majority of them like this team. I don’t,” he said.
“Half of them don’t care about politics and may even carry the Islamic Republic flag. I’m not blaming them, they are normal people, they just want to enjoy the game and that’s their right.”
The match against New Zealand laid bare divisions among Iranian American fans, many of whom said they felt torn between pride at seeing Iran on the sport’s biggest stage, anger over Tehran’s crackdown on protesters and concern over Washington’s bombing campaign.
Before kickoff, about 300 to 500 protesters gathered outside the stadium, waving anti-government signs and flags.
Some Iranian Americans said attending the match would imply support for Iran’s government, while others said they wanted to set politics aside and support the players.
At Meymuni Cafe in Los Angeles, Mr Shaheen Ferdowsi regularly holds events where the Iranian diaspora can gather. It is no different during the World Cup, where he has been hosting watch parties.
“We’re very happy to be a hub for the Iranian community,” he said. “We’re known for events, very unique, quirky, well-curated events.
“So this is just another one in our series of events, but we just couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to do something for the World Cup.”
Los Angeles is home to the world’s largest Iranian diaspora, and Mr Ferdowsi said that it felt “special” when it was announced that World Cup games would be played there.
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