Iran, the United States and the World Cup, matches as rare pauses for conflict | OneFootball

Iran could withdraw from this summer’s World Cup in North America after American and Israeli attacks hit its regime, according to L'Équipe. The fixture has twice paused hostilities with the United States, in 1998 and 2022.

On 21 June 1998 at Gerland, Lyon, the countries met at a World Cup for the first time. The heavy backdrop ran from the 1979 embassy hostage crisis to 1990s sanctions, with Ali Khamenei long in power and killed on Saturday during those attacks.

It followed opening defeats, Iran to Yugoslavia 0-1 and the United States to Germany 0-2, while Bill Clinton hoped for a thaw after almost 20 years without ties. Security was tightened, Lyon’s Fête de la Musique was cancelled, and mayor Raymond Barre evoked ping-pong diplomacy.

Opposition activists held a press conference, yet the match passed without incident. Players exchanged flowers, pennants and shirts, then posed arm in arm for a single team photo. Iran won 2-1 through Hamid Estili and Mehdi Mahdavikia, with Swiss referee Urs Meier in charge.

The victory sparked vast street celebrations back home, which Mahdavikia later described as a historic national moment. In Qatar in 2022, amid anger over the death of Mahsa Amini and the ensuing protests, Iran’s anthem was booed and Team Melli lost 1-0 to Christian Pulisic.

Since then, Israelis and their American ally have moved to address Iran’s nuclear issue, and it is unclear whether Iran will be in Los Angeles on 15 June to face New Zealand in group G with Belgium and Egypt.

Source: L'Équipe