Los Angeles: Rob Woollard Iran will take center stage at the World Cup on Monday after arriving in the United States following a build-up shrouded by uncertainty due to war in the Middle East.
The Iranian squad, whose preparations have been dogged by political tensions and visa issues, face New Zealand at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, a day after touching down in California on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Sunday, Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said he hoped his team's performances at the World Cup could unite all Iranians at home and overseas.
"We are here to perform a good match, a high-quality match. We don't pay attention to any of the hype and anything that goes on around us," Ghalenoei said in response to a question from AFP.
"We are not political people... football is separate from politics," said Ghalenoei.
Iran's World Cup debut comes just a day after Washington and Tehran announced a permanent deal to end their ongoing conflict.
"It is an amazing opportunity to show our country to the world. We are very much happy to face Spain in the opener, this is a dream coming true."
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
