• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Adele moved to tears by man holding up a picture of his wife at her concert
  • Marc Jacobs admitted facelift to stop people talking s***
  • Lost radioactive capsule found in Australian Outback after huge search

‘It’s complicated’: Mixed emotions for fans as Iran and US meet

Towleroad November 29, 2022 Leave a Comment

Published by
AFP
657379 origin 1
For Iranian fans watching the US-Iran game in the United States, there were mixed emotions

Los Angeles (AFP) – It was — mostly — about the football for fans watching the Iran-USA game in the United States on Tuesday, a match played against the backdrop of soaring geopolitical tensions, which occasionally poked their way through the sport.

Scores of supporters packed a restaurant in a part of Los Angeles known locally as “Tehrangeles” because of the large number of Iranians and Iranian-Americans in the area, cheering their way through a lively meet-up happening half a world away.

Chants of “USA, USA” erupted periodically as the US men’s team dominated action on the pitch in Qatar, bagging their first win of the tournament by a score of 1-0 and securing a spot in the knock-out stage.

For some Iranian-Americans, either outcome would have worked.

“I support both,” said a woman who gave her name only as Shirin.

Iran’s team have been under intense scrutiny in Qatar, their players watched for signs that they are — or are not — showing support for mass anti-government demonstrations back home, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in custody of the notorious morality police on September 16.

Players opted not to sing their national anthem before Iran’s 6-2 defeat to England, in an apparent sign of support for the demonstrators at home, but did sing ahead of their 2-0 win against Wales.

As the anthem struck up ahead of Tuesday’s kick-off, some Iranian fans in Los Angeles raised their middle fingers to the screen as players mouthed the words.

Others were more reserved.

“Honestly, considering the situation in Iran I found myself torn, so I felt good about the game either way honestly,” said Aubteen Maroufi, an Iranian-American in his 20s.

In a bar in Washington DC, one Iranian-American who gave his name as Mike said he had mixed feelings about the game, but had been rooting for the United States.

“I didn’t want it to give another joy to the Iranian government,” he said. “My heart is with the Iranian people, not with the government.”

Iranian-American student Darius, 23, said Iran’s players were in a difficult position.

“With all that what’s going on in the country, they’re playing for more than just themselves, more than just a team,” he told AFP.

“They’re playing for the people back home.”

US fans in Los Angeles, basking in victory as “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen reverberated over the restaurant’s sound system, said the game and the politics were separate.

“I don’t think supporting the Iran players means you are supporting the regime. It’s two different things,” said supporter Max Spear. 

“I know some people used the game to show support to the revolution by booing the national anthem, but I don’t think this game is a West versus East thing.”

There was some animosity, with one group of younger men wearing Iranian jerseys making rude gestures every time a US player appeared on screen — although whether this was because of diplomatic tensions or good old-fashioned footballing rivalry was difficult to tell.

“We played hard,” said one of the men, kissing his jersey.

One Iranian-American, who gave her name as Rachel, said she was firmly in the US camp.

“I’ve been living here for so long, 30 years,” she told AFP.

But asked about the politics of her adopted homeland meeting its biggest international foe in metaphorical battle, she demurred.

“It’s a really complicated question, I don’t want to answer it,” she said.

burs-hg/dw

Topics: Aaon, Activism, Sports, World More Posts About: Iran

Related Posts
  • Soccer-U.S. defeat Iran in politically charged World Cup showdown
  • World Cup: Iran team decline to sing national anthem in apparent support for domestic protests
  • Protests grip Iran as rights group says 19 children killed
  • Marc Jacobs admitted facelift to stop people talking s***

    Marc Jacobs admitted facelift to stop people talking s***

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Marc Jacobs is always honest about his cosmetic surgery so people can’t “talk s***” about him. The 59-year-old fashion designer was candid about going under the knife in 2021 and praised …Read More »
  • Lost radioactive capsule found in Australian Outback after huge search

    Lost radioactive capsule found in Australian Outback after huge search

    Published by Reuters By Lewis Jackson and Melanie Burton SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australian authorities on Wednesday found a radioactive capsule smaller than a coin that was lost in the vast Outback after nearly a week-long search involving …Read More »
  • Sam Smith has ‘the opposite of body dysmorphia’

    Sam Smith has ‘the opposite of body dysmorphia’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Sam Smith has the “opposite” of body dysmorphia now. The ‘Unholy’ singer struggled in the past with the mental disorder, where someone becomes obsessed by a perceived flaw in their appearance, …Read More »
  • Jeffree Star’s Fans SCRAMBLE To Uncover Identity Of Mystery ‘NFL Boo’ As Makeup Artist Drops Latest Clue With New Lover

    Jeffree Star’s Fans SCRAMBLE To Uncover Identity Of Mystery ‘NFL Boo’ As Makeup Artist Drops Latest Clue With New Lover

    Published by Radar Online Mega Jeffree Starsent the internet on fire when he casually dropped photos showing him cuddled up to who he described as his “NFL boo” — and now, fans are scrambling to uncover …Read More »
Previous Post: « Tucker Carlson’s Fox News producer is an out gay man helping ‘ramp up’ hate: LGBTQ journalist
Next Post: NYC to start forced hospitalization of mentally ill homeless people »

Primary Sidebar

Adjacent News

  • Proud Boys plotted ‘firing squads’ ahead of Jan. 6 riot: ‘War if they steal this’

    Proud Boys plotted ‘firing squads’ ahead of Jan. 6 riot: ‘War if they steal this’

  • Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2023 nominees include Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Sheryl Crow

    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2023 nominees include Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Sheryl Crow

  • Editorial: The drag queen debate is ignorant of history and a proxy fight with kids as pawns

    Editorial: The drag queen debate is ignorant of history and a proxy fight with kids as pawns

Good Trash: Going to Read It Somewhere, Y'know

  • Stormy Daniels takes victory lap after Trump pens tirade about her on Truth Social

    Stormy Daniels takes victory lap after Trump pens tirade about her on Truth Social

  • ‘He Was Consumed With Sadness’: Lisa Marie Presley ‘Destroyed’ Ex-Husband Michael Jackson With Shock Divorce Filing

    ‘He Was Consumed With Sadness’: Lisa Marie Presley ‘Destroyed’ Ex-Husband Michael Jackson With Shock Divorce Filing

  • Jane Fonda ‘worried’ about Barbarella remake

    Jane Fonda ‘worried’ about Barbarella remake

RSS Partner Links

  • Grammys: 17 Artists Who Have Surprisingly Never Won Despite Many Nominations
  • How Was Robert Reed In Bed? + GOP Harasses Cancer Patient, But There'll Be Hell Toupée + Raft Of Anti-Trans Laws + MORE! — 6-PACK
  • Robyn Dixon Of “The Real Housewives Of Potomac” Admitted That Juan Dixon Cheated On Her Again, Despite Denying The Accusations On The Show
  • Is There a New Episode of 'Chicago Fire' Tonight? Schedule Revealed
  • Marge On Tyre Nichols' Murder By Cops: What About Ashli Babbitt?
  • OMG, herstory: the Ladies of Llanglollen get a reprint
  • OMG, have you heard? James Dean and Marlon Brando’s not-so-secret affair

Most Recent

  • Adele moved to tears by man holding up a picture of his wife at her concert

    Adele moved to tears by man holding up a picture of his wife at her concert

  • Marc Jacobs admitted facelift to stop people talking s***

    Marc Jacobs admitted facelift to stop people talking s***

  • Lost radioactive capsule found in Australian Outback after huge search

    Lost radioactive capsule found in Australian Outback after huge search

  • Sam Smith has ‘the opposite of body dysmorphia’

    Sam Smith has ‘the opposite of body dysmorphia’

  • Jeffree Star’s Fans SCRAMBLE To Uncover Identity Of Mystery ‘NFL Boo’ As Makeup Artist Drops Latest Clue With New Lover

    Jeffree Star’s Fans SCRAMBLE To Uncover Identity Of Mystery ‘NFL Boo’ As Makeup Artist Drops Latest Clue With New Lover

  • Alicia Silverstone returns as Clueless character Cher: WATCH

    Alicia Silverstone returns as Clueless character Cher: WATCH

  • Rep. George Santos agrees to skip sitting on House committees as poll shows 78% of voters want him out

    Rep. George Santos agrees to skip sitting on House committees as poll shows 78% of voters want him out

  • As Pope Francis visits Congo, LGBT+ activists cheer for perceived ally

    As Pope Francis visits Congo, LGBT+ activists cheer for perceived ally

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Log in

×