The Iranian government has expressed strong disapproval of the United States, co-host of the forthcoming World Cup, over what it claims to be “unjust treatment” following the denial of visas to several vital members of its national football squad’s delegation.
In a statement shared on X, the Iranian embassy in Turkey raised the question, “Why was it not revealed that a large number of managerial staff, technical advisors, and other key personnel necessary for any national football team were denied entry?” This remark was aimed at a prior statement made by US envoy Tom Barrack, who noted that players had been granted visas.
The embassy continued to assert, “The intentional and discriminatory treatment towards Iran’s national football team has now reached unprecedented heights.” Reports from Iran’s semi-official news source Tasnim indicated that among those who faced entry denial were executive director Mehdi Kharati, football federation secretary general Hedayat Mombini, and media director Mohsen Motamedkia. The agency mentioned that the staff members lacking visas would accompany the team to Mexico while efforts to obtain visas continued.
This criticism emerged after a White House representative confirmed that visas had been issued to Iran’s players on Friday, just days prior to their inaugural match in Los Angeles amid ongoing tensions between the two nations.
Abolfazl Pasandideh, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, disclosed late Thursday that while the team had not yet received their US visas, these were ultimately issued overnight, as per the White House.
An official from the Iranian football federation was not immediately available for comment.
Due to visa-related challenges and a prevailing sentiment in Iran favoring a limited presence in the US, the team has relocated its base from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. They are anticipated to arrive in Tijuana early Sunday morning.
Iran’s opening match in Group G is set for June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles, followed by encounters with Belgium on June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
Despite the ongoing diplomatic strains, the US has not formally indicated that it wishes to obstruct the Iranian team’s presence on its territory, according to ambassador Pasandideh.
Nevertheless, Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed lawmakers on Tuesday that the US would not allow individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a prominent faction of the Iranian military, to join Iran’s World Cup delegation. Notably, several players on the Iranian team have completed their mandatory military service with this unit.
