By Miguel Gutierrez and Ed White
INGLEWOOD, California, June 15 (Reuters) - Iranian Americans streamed into the Los Angeles stadium where Iran are due to play their first match at the 2026 World Cup on Monday, some wearing or carrying political symbols protesting the government, while others called for Iranians to band together and forget politics.
The team arrived at the stadium, having flown into the U.S. on Sunday from their training base in Tijuana, Mexico, touching down in Los Angeles just as a deal was announced to end the U.S.-Iran war.
They are set to play New Zealand in Group G at 6 p.m. local time (0100 GMT).
In Los Angeles - home to the biggest Iranian community outside Iran, many of whom fled the country after the Islamic Revolution - Iranian American soccer fans say they have been left torn between excitement at seeing the team on the world's biggest stage, anger at Tehran's crackdown on protesters and concern about Washington's bombing campaign.
Around 300 to 500 protesters gathered outside the stadium, waving anti-Iranian government signs and flags. They said they did not want to attend the match as it would imply support for Tehran.
Others went into the game but took with them symbols of protest, including the pre-revolutionary Iran flag, which is the same colours as the current official flag but has a different lion-and-sun motif.
Iran has threatened to halt matches if unofficial flags are brought in or slogans chanted.
When asked about the matter, world soccer's governing body FIFA has pointed to rules that prohibit flags or apparel of a political nature. But it has not commented specifically on what its approach will be to the Iranian pre-revolutionary flag and did not immediately comment on Monday.
Reuters saw numerous people carrying the lion-and-sun flag or wearing t-shirts with the symbol passing through security without any issue on Monday. Many began to hold up the flag from their seats.
Three people in the stands wearing white t-shirts emblazoned with the lion-and-sun motif said they had decided to wear them despite the warnings.
"This team is not the team of the people of Iran," said one of the three, Farhad Jafargad. He and others said they were planning to cheer on New Zealand.
'LET GO OF POLITICS'
Other fans wrapped themselves in the official flag and complained that they had been heckled by the protesters. Some said they wanted to focus on their team - affectionately known as Team Melli - and forget the politics.
"I'm here to support Iran. We're going to win this game," said 57-year-old Mehdi Jafari, wearing an Iran soccer shirt.
"We're very proud of our country. We're here to support Iran. I think we should all let go of the politics and just go in and cheer on the Team Melli."
Iran's participation in the tournament has been beset by controversy against the backdrop of the war, which began in February when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
That followed nationwide protests in January inside Iran in which thousands were killed in a bloody government crackdown.
In recent weeks, the soccer team changed their base from Arizona to Mexico, while their federation complained that not all their staff received U.S. visas and that tickets allocated to supporters had been withdrawn.
(Reporting by Hatem Maher, Miguel Gutierrez, Leonardo Benassatto, Matt Silverstein, Arafat Barbakh, Rory Carroll and Ed White; Writing by Rosalba O'Brien, Editing by Ken Ferris and Ed Osmond)
