At Iran's World Cup opener, a banned flag became a flashpoint at the stadium gates

June 18, 2026
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Two hours before Iran's national soccer team opened World Cup play against New Zealand on Monday night, an Iranian American man and his teenage daughter got in line to enter SoFi Stadium.

Fans hold up pre-revolutionary Iranian flags as Iran played New Zealand in a FIFA World Cup 2026 match at Los Angeles Stadium on June 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

Inside the US-Iran Memorandum: The 14 Points Released by IRNA

June 18, 2026

Iranian state media have published the full text of a 14-point memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington.