Iranian captain Mehdi Taremi had much to get off his chest during a post-match interview following a 2-2 draw against New Zealand in Los Angeles.

Less than 150 miles (240 kilometers) from Los Angeles' World Cup stadium sits the hotel housing Iran's team. The entrance to the Marriott in Tijuana, Mexico, is barricaded, flanked by police and members of the Mexican National Guard,

While the squad flew to LA, a group of protesters calling for democracy in Iran and denouncing its government rallied near Los Angeles Stadium.

After his side’s entertaining 2-2 with New Zealand, the Iran manager called his team ‘the most oppressed one in the whole World Cup’

The Iran national team arrived at LA Stadium one day in advance of their FIFA World Cup opener Monday against New Zealand. That's standard in the World Cup, but it almost wasn't the case for the Iranians -- and they were not happy about it.

Iran is reportedly taking action against fans who chanted critical slogans and disregarded the national anthem at its team's World Cup match against New Zealand. The Nour News portal said on Tuesday

Fate has thrown two of the most repressive countries in the world for the LGBTQ+ community into a World Cup ‘Pride Match’ in Seattle. The event had already been announced before the

President Trump’s World Cup czar, Andrew Giuliani, said Sunday the Iranian soccer team’s early entry into the U.S. was a “goodwill gesture” hours before Iran and the U.S. reached an initial agreement extending their ceasefire.

The entrance to the hotel housing Iran’s World Cup team in Tijuana is barricaded and flanked by police and national guardsmen. Fans flock from L.A. and elsewhere to support their team.