After more than 40 years of tense relations and months of faltering in reviving the nuclear deal, the United States and Iran are preparing to face soccer in the 2022 World Cup, after falling in the second group during the draw that took place on Friday.

The coaches of Iran and America avoided political conflicts and said that they focus on the tournament and its ability to unite peoples.

The group includes England and is complemented by a team promoted from the European play-off and may be Ukraine, Scotland or Wales.

It is possible that some of the ice will melt between the two countries, after diplomatic and even military confrontations in the past years, when the match is played in Qatar on November 21, or the situation may worsen.

The administration of US President Joe Biden is trying to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and major world powers, which restricts Tehran's nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions that have damaged Iran's economy.

Washington has accused Iran and its forces of carrying out attacks across the Middle East, including targeting US forces in Iraq and Syria.

In 2020, the two countries were on the brink of war after the killing of a prominent Iranian official, and Tehran responded with missile strikes on US forces stationed in Iraq.

Despite the nature of the serious conflict between them, diplomats resorted to joking - via Twitter - after the lottery was drawn at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center on Friday.

Ali Fayez, the director of the Iran project at Crisis Group, joked that the US government will form a group to determine how to act in the event of a tie in the match and to see if the exchange of shirts between players entails sanctions.

The coaches and focus on the game

"I think it's ultimately about football, and the best sign of friendship is through strong competition on the field, fair play and that's the foundation of the World Cup," America's coach Greg Berhalter said.

Low expectations surround the US team in the tournament after it failed to qualify for the 2018 edition, but it hired a group of promising youngsters.

Iran qualified for the World Cup in Russia 4 years ago but has never made it past the group stage.

"I only think about football and not about external matters," Iran coach Dragan Skocic said. "I hope that football creates good communication and a good relationship between people, and this is what people expect from sports."

The last confrontation between the two teams was in the 1998 World Cup in France, and Iran won 2-1.

"I remember this match very well," Berhalter told reporters. "It was the first encounter against them and it got out of the political tension between the two countries and it was a way of saying on the field that we remain friends."