Iranian-American fans face uneasy World Cup as war rages

LOS ANGELES, June 12 : When Iran kick off their World Cup campaign next week in Los Angeles, Iranian-American businessman Ehsan Shafi will be in the stands cheering on Team Melli, a rare chance to welcome the national side he adores to his adopted home.

Instead of a moment of pure sporting celebration, however, the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has left fans like Shafi torn between excitement at seeing the team on the world’s biggest stage, anger at Tehran’s crackdown on protesters, and concern that Washington’s bombing campaign has gone too far.

Reuters interviews with Iranian-American soccer fans in Los Angeles, home to the world's largest Iranian Diaspora, along with a review of social media posts, show a community split between pride in Iranian identity and rejection of the country’s rulers, forcing many to weigh whether to watch, attend or disengage from the tournament altogether.

"All players wish to have a chance to play in the World Cup," said 46-year-old Shafi, speaking after playing in a Sunday morning game for Arya FC, an amateur Iranian-American club in the Los Angeles suburb of Woodland Hills.

"It doesn’t matter what’s happening in the world. We are so excited to see our national team."

Even so, Shafi acknowledged the tension.

"It’s a very complicated situation," he said. "Nobody likes to see their country under bombing. It’s very complicated for our people."

'TEHRANGELES'

Tens of thousands of Iranian-Americans live in Los Angeles, where a distinct Diaspora often referred to as "Tehrangeles" has taken root. Team Melli, meaning the national team in Persian, has long been a shared symbol linking that community to the country many fled after the 1979 Iranian revolution amid political upheaval and repression. 

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