Iran World Cup coach says 'impacted' by politics but ignoring 'hype'
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<figure><img src="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/teams/iran/" />Iran</a><img src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/uFAAcj7V4kI6cdG6Ch1fVw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp.com/4d267435ee62329f2e1eb4ec714ab3d1" /></figure>
<p>Iran&#8217;s coach Amir Ghalenoei said on Sunday political tensions and visa issues have damaged his side&#8217;s preparations for the World Cup but insisted his players will not &#8220;pay attention to any of the hype.&#8221;</p>
<p>Iran have arrived at the tournament under the shadow of a bitter diplomatic row, after the United States &#8212; in military conflict with Iran for months &#8212; refused to issue visas for some team support staff.</p>
<p>They play their opener against <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/teams/new-zealand/">New Zealand</a> in Los Angeles on Monday, marking the first time that a World Cup host has hosted a country with which it is at war.</p>
<p>The Iran team bus, accompanied by a police motorcycle escort, was met by a small group of anti-regime protestors at training late Sunday.</p>
<p>Much larger demonstrations are planned outside the stadium by members of the Iranian diaspora opposed to the nation&#8217;s hardline regime, and there have been threats that the Iran team could walk off the pitch if anti-government banners are displayed.</p>
<p>&#8220;We are here to perform a good match, a high-quality match. We don&#8217;t pay attention to any of the hype and anything that goes on around us,&#8221; Ghalenoei said in a press conference in response to a question from AFP.</p>
<p>&#8220;Naturally, all teams have their own problems, and in many countries, many things happen that have nothing to do with football.&#8221;</p>
<p>The coach said his team are simply at the World Cup to &#8220;represent the respectful people of Iran, be it the Iranians inside Iran or the Iranian diaspora.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;We are not political people&#8230; football is separate from politics,&#8221; said Ghalenoei.</p>
<p>The press conference took place barely an hour after a peace deal between the US and Iran was announced, bringing an &#8220;immediate and permanent&#8221; end to miltary operations on all fronts.</p>
<p>Controversy surrounding the Iran team has drawn headlines but is far from the only political issue affecting the World Cup that the US is co-hosting with <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/teams/mexico/">Mexico</a> and <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/teams/canada/">Canada</a>.</p>
<p>Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the US for the World Cup, as have been many fans.</p>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not just Iran that has been impacted, as you know,&#8221; said star striker <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/players/790630/">Mehdi Taremi</a>.</p>
<p>The tension surrounding the tournament &#8220;undermines that joy and it undermines the message of FIFA or people, which is about football that brings about peace,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;I have felt the tension from the first moment we arrived at this World Cup, and whenever at any tournament there is tension, of course, we don&#8217;t have the same beautiful experience that we always talk about, about peace, joy for the people of every country.&#8221;</p>
<p>Iran was originally supposed to base their training camp in the US, but switched to Tijuana in Mexico at late notice.</p>
<p>Ghalenoei said his team &#8220;didn&#8217;t have enough time to adjust&#8230; it will affect us, but God willing, I know that my players are very determined to do their utmost and show the highest quality.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Our camp was changed twice, first it was in the United States, then we were transferred to Mexico, and of course that impacts us,&#8221; the coach added.</p>
<p>&#8220;But we Iranians make opportunities out of hardship.&#8221;</p>
<p>Iran has never reached the knockout rounds of a World Cup. Their Group G also contains <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/teams/belgium-women/">Belgium</a> and <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/teams/egypt/">Egypt</a>.</p>
<p>Around 25 protesters gathered outside the training session in Carson, near Los Angeles, chanting that the team does not represent their people.</p>
<p>&#8220;They represent the terrorist regime in Iran,&#8221; said Satggin Jalali, 47, from Los Angeles.</p>
<p>&#8220;Some of us will be inside the stadium (tomorrow). We have many surprises for you.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;This team, they do not belong to the people of Iran,&#8221; agreed Sourat Darabi, a 51-year-old doctor from Orange County.</p>
<p>&#8220;We are here as the voice of people of Iran, because they don&#8217;t have a voice &#8212; (the government) cut the internet, and if they go out and protest, they kill them, they massacre.&#8221;</p>

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