Iran's World Cup squad touched down in Mexico this weekend sporting lapel pins that honored the victims of a fatal missile attack. The incident occurred at a primary school at the outbreak of the conflict with the United States and Israel.
Gold-Colored Pins Displayed in Tijuana
The gold-colored pins, displayed by players on their jackets upon landing in Tijuana, Mexico, on Sunday, featured the number "168." This figure represents the casualties, mainly youngsters, who perished in a February 28 strike on a school in Minab, southern Iran, an assault widely blamed on the U.S.
Iran's embassy in Hungary on Monday recognized the pins in a social media post, specifically mentioning Minab. The move follows a comparable tribute by the squad in March, ahead of a warmup match in Antalya, Turkey.
Previous Tribute with School Rucksacks
On that occasion, players held up pink and purple school rucksacks during their national anthem, highlighting the same tragedy. The attack on the school, which was reportedly near a Revolutionary Guard facility, has attracted fierce condemnation from the United Nations and human rights groups.
Neither the United States nor Israel has accepted responsibility for the strike, with the U.S. military currently investigating the incident and declaring it would never deliberately target civilians.
Visa Delays and Training Base Shift
The Iranian delegation jetted off from Antalya to Tijuana, Mexico, on Saturday via private plane, following a last-minute decision two weeks ago to use Mexico as their training base instead of Tucson, Arizona. Their preparations for three group-stage matches in the U.S. have been hampered by visa processing delays from American authorities. Some members of the delegation with connections to the Revolutionary Guard have reportedly been refused entry.
The team's admission into the U.S. remains up in the air ahead of their June 15 opening match against New Zealand in Inglewood, near Los Angeles. They are set to return to Tijuana between matches, before taking on Belgium on June 21 in Inglewood and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle.
Iran and the U.S. could potentially face off in the round of 32 on July 3 at the Dallas Cowboys' stadium in Arlington, Texas, if both teams finish second in their groups, according to the Associated Press.
