After their 0-0 draw against Belgium on Sunday, the Iran football team left a handwritten note in their dressing room at Los Angeles Stadium, emphasizing a message of “peace.”
This note was left following Iran’s first two World Cup matches in Los Angeles and asserted that the team would depart the city “with dignity.”
The announcement comes just three days after the Iranian football federation indicated it intended to file a complaint with FIFA regarding their travel arrangements for the match against Belgium.
The note, released by the Football Federation of Iran (FFIRI), read: “From the ancient Persia of thousands of years ago to the modern Iran of today, the spirit of Iran remains alive and unwavering. We arrived in Los Angeles with pride, competed honorably, and are leaving with dignity.
“We extend our gratitude to Los Angeles for the warm hospitality and to every Iranian who poured their hearts, voices, and souls into supporting our team over these 180 minutes. May peace, respect, and friendship flourish among all nations.”
Iran’s team has faced travel restrictions from their World Cup base camp in Tijuana, Mexico. They arrived in the U.S. on Saturday night, played at noon local time on Sunday, and were scheduled to leave the country that night.
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After the match, head coach Amir Ghalenoei pointed out several challenges faced by the team, including visa issues entering both the U.S. and Mexico and insufficient preparation time prior to the tournament.
He had previously described Iran as the “most oppressed team in the whole World Cup.”
Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian community in the United States.
With two draws against New Zealand and Belgium, Iran is set to play their final group match against Egypt at Seattle Stadium on June 26. A victory would allow them to advance to the knockout stages.