In the Strait of Hormuz, US warships menace Iran’s oil tankers, while in Washington, President Donald Trump demands “complete victory”. But in Tucson, they’re getting ready to welcome the Iranian football team as if nothing were amiss.

The city, an oasis of civilisation in the Arizona desert, is set to be the base camp for Team Melli when the World Cup starts in the US, Mexico and Canada next month.

“We’re just excited to host them here, and we’re going to give them a positive experience,” Sarah Hanna, director of the Kino Sports Complex, where the team will train, said.

This positivity is in sharp contrast to Trump casting doubt on Iran’s presence in March, saying that while the team was “welcome” to participate, it might not be a good idea.

“I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” he wrote on social media.

Locals in Tucson dismiss the implied threat.