The Japan Times - Iran's World Cup super fans excited for football despite the war

In fact, these two self-declared "super fans" want nothing more than a showdown between the two teams -- on the pitch, of course.

To make that happen, Iran has to do what it has never done before -- get out of the group stage of football's biggest competition.

"Iran has one of the easiest group that we've ever had during the World Cup," Mansoor told AFP, referring to competition from New Zealand, Egypt and Belgium.

"There is a really high chance that we're going to advance, best chance we've ever had."

The men, who have lived in San Diego, California for the past 50 years, are so optimistic about their team's chances they have already bought several tickets for the knockout stage, ensuring they won't miss a potential clash between Iran and Team USA.

With the nations at deadly loggerheads in the Strait of Hormuz, where missiles and drones are flying again after a few weeks of relative peace, Mansoor thinks a football game might even change the military calculations.

"I think everyone will love it, and I think that match would actually bring out peace. It could change a lot of things," Mansoor said.

- 'Memorable' -

The 64-year-old is so committed to following the team that he has decamped across the Mexican border and is staying at the same Tijuana hotel as the players.

The 2026 tournament will be Mansoor's sixth, having attended every edition for which Team Melli qualified, apart from 1978.

One of his fondest memories remains Iran's first ever World Cup triumph: their 2-1 win over the United States in France in 1998.

FIFA billed the match as a game of "fraternity," paving the way for a rapprochement between the two countries -- enemies since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

American and Iranian players exchanged flowers and posed together for a group photo before kickoff.

"It's one of the best photos I think ever taken of the World Cup teams," said Mansoor.

The encounter was even followed in 2000 by a friendly match between the two nations in Los Angeles — sometimes dubbed "Tehrangeles" because of its large Iranian-American population.

"Those were the good old days," smiles Mostafa Pourmand, 70, recalling that 1-1 draw. "The whole stadium was cheering for both teams."

Things are different this time.

Tehran and Washington have been at war since Israel and the United States launched strikes in late February.

Iran shot back, targeting American allies in the Gulf and choking off the Strait of Hormuz, a global oil artery and trade waterway whose closure has shaken the global economy, leaving Iran's participation in the World Cup clouded.

- 'Worst World Cup' -

While players have been granted visas for the United States, where all three of their group phase games take place, some support staff and administrators have been refused entry.

The uncertainty meant the team decided to move their training camp from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana in Mexico.

"It’s the worst World Cup" out of Iran's seven appearances, Mansoor said.

The two friends are also aware that the national team divides the Iranian diaspora, with some viewing it as a propaganda tool for the Islamic Republic.

In Qatar in 2022, they heard boos from some supporters—coming just months after the bloody crackdown on protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini while in custody for allegedly breaching the state dress code for women.

The 1-0 loss to the United States during that tournament was even celebrated in the streets of Iran.

That rift is likely to be felt in Los Angeles, where the diaspora held major protests in January to condemn the crushing of a fresh popular uprising in Iran — a crackdown that left thousands dead.

Pourmand says he anticipates "a lot of opposition" during the matches in LA.

But he is equally sure that when the first ball is kicked, a lot of the animosity will melt away.

"People like me, people like my friend, and the true fans, they are tuning out and want to just focus on the game," he said.

"We'll deal with the politics after."

T.Ueda--JT