Iranian Saied Assadi, owner of the Comida Persa Iran restaurant, and his Mexican partner Claudia Leonardo pose outside the venue in Rosarito, on the outskirts of Tijuana, where a small Iranian community reflects broader political divisions within the diaspora ahead of the team’s World Cup campaign,

The pins are a tribute to the 168 people, mostly children, who were killed at an elementary school in southern Iran just minutes after the U.S. and Israel launched their initial attacks on Iran on the morning of February 28.

The smallest nation by population in the tournament comes face-to-face with the four-time winners on Sunday when tiny Curacao play Germany in a true World Cup fairytale.

The stance could put the city at odds with FIFA, the organizing body of the World Cup. Iranians opposed to the current regime want the ability to wave the flag.

Join our writers as they continue to the countdown to the World Cup ahead of the opening ceremony on Thursday. Iran says ticket allocation withdrawn 09:47 Staying on the “football and politics don’t mix” tip,