“I’m a victim.”  The martyrdom complex.  Iran plays it well.  The thing I want to communicate though is that the coach, Amir Ghalenoei, is lying.  He says they found out after the game they had to leave for their training camp just across the border in Tijuana.  Well, I’ve known this for days—I read the news.  And he’s known it for a week.  See “’Oppressed’ Iran forced to leave U.S. after New Zealand draw,” ESPN, 6-16-26.  But then see “Iran team escorted to Tijuana stadium by Mexico’s National Guard:  Iran will play all of their group games in the US, flying in and out of the country each match day,” The National, 6-9-26.  For those who have followed for years how the Regime has “managed” its teams and “managed” those it plays and those it refuses to play (Jews, for example) and how the Quds Force/IRGC is involved in all things, the U.S. has actually upheld its decision quite well for the World Cup to allow a long time belligerent to access our soil.  “This is the first World Cup since the tournament’s inception in 1930 in which a host nation is set to receive a country with which it is actively at war, according to Reuters.”  See “Iran team arrive in US for World Cup opener as the two nations reach peace deal,” Reuters, 6-14-26.

News like this lets us evaluate whether the Regime is truthful, because we can check the MOU.  “Iran says the initial deal to end the war with the US requires Israel to withdraw from Lebanon,” AP, 6-16-26.  Was Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi accurately presenting information?  No.  The AP should run a follow-up story pointing this out.  The full document is posted in full on this blog in the 6-17 entry.  Paragraph 1 is the relevant section, and mentions Lebanon three times.  Hezbollah (Iran) and Israel are not parties to the MOU, and are instead treated as agents of Iran and the U.S.  Para. 1 says nothing about withdrawal by Israel.  Instead it speaks in terms on “termination of military operations” and “refrain from the threat or use of force against each other.”  Israel is supposed to stop fighting, as is Hezbollah, but Israel is not precluded by the MOU by maintaining a security zone in southern Lebanon.  They can sit pat.