Overview
- The Iran squad, which arrived in Tijuana on Sunday, wore small gold lapel pins marked “#168” during their off‑field arrival as a public act of mourning.
- Iran’s foreign ministry said the badge refers to the 168 people, mostly schoolchildren, killed in a missile strike on a girls’ school in Minab on February 28.
- FIFA rules bar political, religious or personal slogans during match situations, so airport and travel displays sit in a regulatory gray area but use during anthems or games could prompt discipline.
- The team previously honored the Minab victims by holding up school backpacks at a March warm‑up in Antalya, and key figures tied to the gestures include Alireza Jahanbakhsh, captain Ehsan Hajisafi, and coach Amir Ghalenoei.
- The Minab strike remains under international scrutiny with the US military investigating and no claim of responsibility, and separate US visa delays for parts of Iran’s delegation leave their arrival for the 15 June opener uncertain.