Iran’s World Cup campaign began amid political turmoil, heavy security and a divided diaspora, yet on the pitch their players delivered a performance of resilience, twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 with New Zealand in a gripping Group G encounter at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Outside the arena, protesters demanded change in Tehran, waving pre-revolution Lion and Sun flags despite a formal ban. Inside, Iran’s anthem was loudly jeered by sections of the crowd, only minutes after the team had been cheered onto the big screens. For many in the overwhelmingly exiled Iranian community, the team and the regime were not the same thing, and once the whistle blew, the noise turned into full-throated support.

Iran started brightly, but it was New Zealand who struck first. In the seventh minute, veteran striker Chris Wood imposed himself, holding off defenders before linking with Elijah Just. The Motherwell forward met the return with a crisp volley beyond Alireza Beiranvand, giving the All Whites an early lead against the run of play.

The goal did little to unsettle Iran. They continued to press and were rewarded when Ramin Rezaeian surged forward from the right and finished clinically to level the match, a strike that shifted momentum just as New Zealand had seemed to settle.

After the interval, Wood again proved decisive. His physical presence unsettled Iran’s back line, and on 54 minutes he combined once more with Just, helping to carve open the defence before Just swept home his second. It was a landmark moment: the first time a New Zealand player had scored twice in a World Cup match.

Yet Iran refused to fold. Pushing higher up the pitch, they found their second equaliser through a move that mirrored their renewed belief. Rezaeian delivered a teasing cross from the right and substitute Mohammad Mohebbi rose to glance a header off the inside of the post and in, sparking celebrations among Iranian fans who had spent the day torn between protest and pride.

The draw leaves all four Group G teams on one point, after Belgium and Egypt also shared the spoils. For New Zealand, there was frustration at a missed chance for a first World Cup win; for Iran, a reminder that, even amid geopolitical tension, football can still offer a stage for defiance and unity.