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Ahead of Iran's opening World Cup match against New Zealand, several flags and protest banners were spotted around the stadium in Los Angeles.
"The terrorist Islamic Republic's football team does not represent the people of Iran," one poster read.
Many people waved old Iranian flags from before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. However, the atmosphere remained peaceful, a DPA reporter noted.
"I am happy to support the people of Iran here, but I do not support the regime," one fan stated.
Before the match began, the Iranian national anthem was met with boos inside the stadium.
There was significant uncertainty surrounding Iran's participation in the World Cup, given the armed conflict with co-hosts USA and Israel.
The Iranian footballers relocated their World Cup training camp from Arizona to Mexico to avoid visa issues, but 11 officials were still denied US visas, preventing them from crossing the border to attend the team's matches.
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