IRAN striker Mehdi Taremi has said political tension because of the conflict with the US has "undermined the joy" of the World Cup.
The US and Iran have now agreed a peace deal due to be signed on Friday in Switzerland, but Iran's preparations for the tournament have been severely affected by the conflict which has been going on since February.
Iran had to relocate their base camp from Arizona to Tijuana in Mexico despite all their group stage games being in the US, with players and staff having to fly on matchdays.
The team has also faced visa problems and their ticket allocation for the World Cup was reportedly pulled just days before the tournament got underway.
"This kind of tension undermines the joy of the World Cup," said Taremi.
"I felt the tension from the first moment we arrived. The tension started even before we got here.
Iran's manager, Amir Ghalenoei, has also told the BBC the disruption has affected preparations.
"Without any doubt, this kind of behaviour has impacted the spirit of football," he said.
"Football is supposed to bring nations and cultures together. It is about bringing joy. These conditions have affected our focus, but I have tried to make sure the players concentrate on strategy and performance."
He added that his players are "committed to performing" despite having little time to adjust to the country.
Iran will open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand at 2am on Tuesday in LA.
Los Angeles is often nicknamed "Tehrangeles" with many Iranian-Americans due to come out and support the team.
Fifa has banned the pre-revolutionary Lion and Sun flag which is a powerful symbol for many Iranians living abroad.
Top sports journalist Leyla Hamed, who is covering the tournament in the US, told The National last week the treatment of Iran raises “serious questions” about the US as a host which she claims has “compromised” the “fairness of the tournament”.
She said: "Fairness is not only about what happens during the 90 minutes. It is also about preparation, travel, recovery, staff access, media access, fan presence, and the psychological environment around the team.
“Iran have had uncertainty over visas until days before their opening match. Several staff members have reportedly been denied access. Their camp had to be moved to Mexico. Their supporters have faced major barriers, including the reported withdrawal of their official ticket allocation. These are not normal tournament conditions.
“If one team is forced to prepare under restrictions that other teams are not facing, then the playing field is not equal.”
