Iran has had to focus on everything other than football ahead of the World Cup, as the team had to change its base from the USA to Mexico because of visa problems.
The country's participation has been discussed, not least because the United States, one of the host countries of the World Cup, is at war with Iran. The countries have, however, signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the conflict, but the details of the agreement are unclear.
Once the Los Angeles opener got underway, New Zealand took control. Elijah Just broke the deadlock after just seven minutes, but Iran came back after half an hour when Ramin Rezaeian equalized. In the second half, New Zealand's Just scored twice before Mohammad Mohebbi equalized to make the final score 2–2.
New travel plans
After the match, Iran was due for a much-needed rest, players and officials believed.
"Now they are forcing us to go back early (to Mexico) without time to recover," said national team captain Ghalenoei after the opener.
According to Ghalenoei, the team was originally supposed to stay on U.S. soil overnight and then travel back to Mexico.
"But again they have stopped us. Honestly, I have no idea why no one told us this."
"A disaster"
Even the Iranian players are critical of how the national team was treated after the opener.
"Everything is like a disaster for us, actually," said striker Mehdi Taremi.
"It's stressful for the players and for the managers and everyone, because we don't have that support. I think FIFA needs to help us more than this."
According to Taremi, FIFA boss Gianni Infantino visited Iran's dressing room to discuss the situation. It is unclear what Infantino said to the Iranian national team.
Protests
There were also scenes in the stands and outside the stadium during Iran's opener.
At least a couple of hundred banned flags were visible in the stadium when Iran's national anthem was played, Aftonbladet reports.
The flag, the one used before the 1979 revolution, has been banned by FIFA.
Even outside the stadium, flags used before the revolution were waved, reports Expressen. Hundreds of people protested against the Iranian regime there.
"This law is not the law of the Iranian people, it is the law of the regime," said philosophy student Ava Amin.
