Postcard From Persia

THERE WAS a small thaw in an otherwise deepening cold war last week when 13 U.S. wrestlers went to Iran to compete in a meet in Bandar Abbas. On Friday, a day after winning the title in the 211.5-pound class, Muhammed (Mo) Lawal, who is from Colorado Springs and describes himself as a nonpracticing Muslim, was lapping an arena packed with appreciative spectators, dancing to the beat of native drums, showing locals how to high-five and briefly carrying a child—whom he called "my little brother"—around the arena. Lawal was the only American wrestler to win his weight class at the Takhti Cup, which showcased wrestlers from Iran, ranked No. 2 in the world, and the U.S., ranked No. 3. "It's a contrast of styles," says U.S. coach Terry Brands. "They wrestle smarter. We attack more and rely on our conditioning."

Girls greeted the U.S. team with flowers at the local airport and roughly 3,000 fans crammed the Fadger Sport Hall—which was built for 2,000—while another 3,000 tried to force their way in. The tournament was televised live and was front-page news. "They're wrestling fanatics, and they made us feel like kings," says Rich Bender, USA Wrestling's executive director. "Never once did we see an anti-American sentiment." Though Iranian bodyguards accompanied the squad, the wrestlers wore USA jackets and mingled at a local marketplace, where they signed autographs and traded pins for pistachios. "They treated us like celebrities," says heavyweight Michael Irving. "We don't get that in the States."