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Inside a Los Angeles cafe, the strife between the US and Iran faded briefly into the background as Iran opened its 2026 World Cup campaign in Southern California against New Zealand, ending with a respectable 2-2 draw.

As soon as the 90 minutes was up, the politics returned. Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said his country is the "most oppressed team in the World Cup" in a press conference after the game, and claimed the team was being forced to return to their training base in Mexico without time for recovery.

The discord struck a nerve in parts of Los Angeles, which are sometimes dubbed Tehrangeles because the region is home to the world's largest Iranian diaspora community. While almost everyone in this expatriate enclave opposes the current government, many retain a loyalty to their national squad, known as Team Melli.

Bloomberg News LA bureau chief John Gittelsohn talks with Carol and Tim about the complex dynamics involved with Iran's FIFA World Cup team playing in the US.