Iran team arrive in US for World Cup opener against New Zealand in LA

LOS ANGELES/TIJUANA, Mexico, June 14 : Iran's soccer team arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday after a short flight from Tijuana, Mexico, where they left their World Cup base camp earlier to a rousing sendoff ahead of their opening match against New Zealand.

The A320 aircraft touched down on runway 25L at 4:11 p.m. ET (2011 GMT) on its second landing attempt under sunny skies at the airport, which is about 15 minutes from the Los Angeles Stadium that will host Iran's World Cup opener on Monday.

The team were expected to head to their hotel where a police security presence was already in place.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei and striker Mehdi Taremi are scheduled to take part in a press conference at Los Angeles Stadium at 6:45 p.m. ET (2245 GMT).

The squad's Group G fixture against New Zealand will be played against the backdrop of the U.S. war with Iran, adding a charged atmosphere to ​a contest between two nations who have never met at the World Cup.

Iran moved their World Cup base camp from a sports complex in Arizona to Mexico late last month after the U.S. and Israel conducted joint strikes on Iran ​beginning in late February.

'BRING AN END TO THIS REGIME'

While the squad flew to LA, a group of protesters calling for democracy in Iran and denouncing its government rallied near Los Angeles Stadium.

"No Shah - No Mullah in Iran - Regime Change by Iranians" said placards. Pictures and posters of athletes who protesters said had died after being arrested by the Iranian government lined a busy street corner in Inglewood.

The killing of tens of thousands of young protesters in Iran in January was a particular outrage to Mojgan Ramezani, 56, an Iranian American at the rally.

"They're holding hostage their own people," said