Iran thanks Los Angeles after Belgium draw, urges peace and dignity

Iran turned a scoreless draw with Belgium into something larger than a result, leaving a handwritten note in the SoFi Stadium locker room that thanked Los Angeles for its hospitality and said the team had come “with pride,” competed “with honour,” and would leave “with dignity.” The Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran made the message public after the June 21 match, turning one of Team Melli’s strongest World Cup performances into a carefully framed statement about identity as much as sport.

The note reached beyond the scoreboard. It said, “From the ancient Persia of thousands of years ago to the civilized Iran of today, the spirit of Iran remains alive and steadfast,” and ended with a call for peace, respect and friendship among all nations. It also thanked Iranian supporters for their “heart, voice and soul” across the full 180 minutes Iran played in Los Angeles, where the team had drawn New Zealand 2-2 in its opening Group G match before holding Belgium to another draw.

That second consecutive tie left Iran with two points from two matches and still in contention for the knockout stage, but the off-field setting made the message resonate more sharply. Los Angeles hosted both of Iran’s Group G matches, while the squad based itself in Tijuana, Mexico, and commuted into the United States under restrictive travel rules that limited its time across the border. Reports said some staff and officials were barred from entry, and U.S. officials said the arrangements were still under review.

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei had already criticized the difficult conditions, while forward Alireza Jahanbakhsh said the pressure had brought the squad closer together. The locker-room note reflected that same blend of grievance and composure. In a stadium where sections of the crowd booed Iran’s national anthem before kickoff, Iran answered not with a press conference but with language of pride, history and restraint.

The message also carried the hashtags #168 and #Minab, linking the national team to a reported strike on a school in the southern city of Minab that Iran-linked accounts said killed 168 people, many of them children. Iran had worn #168 pin badges throughout the tournament as a recurring tribute. In that context, the Belgium draw became part result, part remembrance and part assertion: a team speaking to supporters at home, to a skeptical crowd in Los Angeles and to a global audience watching how Iran chose to represent itself on one of football’s most politicized stages.