LOS ANGELES, June 23 — “From the ancient Persia of thousands of years ago to the civilized Iran of today, the spirit of Iran remains alive and steadfast.”

These words, scrawled in blue ink on a simple Post-it note, were left in the locker room by the Iran national team on Sunday night, NYT reported.

 It served as a poignant coda to one of the most pivotal results in their World Cup history: a gritty 0-0 draw against group favourites Belgium.

The result was a triumph of will over circumstance. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei has spent the tournament lamenting the “unfair treatment” of his squad, which has existed in a state of sporting exile. Based in Mexico, the team is granted entry into the United States only in 48-hour windows to play their matches, a restriction Ghalenoei says crippled their preparation for the clash at SoFi Stadium.

Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian diaspora in the US, provided a volatile backdrop. While protests erupted outside the stadium and jeers pierced the national anthem, the atmosphere shifted once the whistle blew. Every save by goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand was met with a roar, turning the venue into a makeshift home ground.

Iran is the first World Cup participant in the tournament’s 96-year history to be engaged in an active conflict with the host nation, following US and Israeli attacks in February. The locker room note also served as a memorial; written in red ink were the number 168 and the name Minab, commemorating children killed when a missile struck a school in the town of Minab.

“May peace, respect and friendship prevail among all nations,” the note concluded.

Unbeaten so far, Iran could advance to the knockout stages with a positive result against Egypt this Friday. However, diplomatic friction remains. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin recently claimed that Mehdi Taj, the president of Iran’s soccer federation, attempted to board the team’s plane despite being barred from the US. Iranian officials have vehemently disputed the claim, calling it “misinformation.”

As Taj and a dozen other officials remain stranded in Tijuana, Mexico, the players continue to carry the weight of their nation. For the squad, the draw in Los Angeles was not just about points, but about dignity.