The World Cup is beloved across our planet because it offers a chance for people from around the world to be judged not by the place they grew up, the color of their skin, or the way they choose to worship but by their spirit, skill, and strength.
As we cheer today's game between American and Iranian athletes, I hope it can be another step toward ending the estrangement between our nations. I am pleased that over the last year, President Khatami and I have both worked to encourage more people-to-people exchanges and to help our citizens develop a better understanding of each other's rich civilizations.
NOTE: The President's remarks were videotaped at approximately 11 a.m. in the Cabinet Room on June 18 for broadcast on Univision on June 21, and the partial transcript was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on June 18. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these remarks.
William J. Clinton, Excerpt of Videotaped Remarks on the United States-Iran World Cup Game Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/226464
