Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj has been refused entry to Canada ahead of FIFA’s annual general meeting in the North American country. Taj was scheduled to travel to Vancouver to attend the FIFA General Assembly on April 30, but according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, reported by USA Today, Taj was put on the next available flight home due to “inappropriate behavior by an immigration officer.”
The Iranian Football Secretary was accompanied by Secretary-General Hedayat Mombeini and his deputy Hamed Momeni. Mr. Taj had been issued a temporary residence permit to enter Canada, but was reportedly denied because of his ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He previously served as commander of the Revolutionary Guards, which Canada classifies as a terrorist group.
It appears Taj was allowed to land, but after further questioning, he was barred from entering Canada and put on a flight home on Tuesday. Immigration Canada declined to comment specifically on the matter, but said in a statement: “Our government has been clear and consistent: Revolutionary Guards personnel cannot enter Canada and have no place in our country. We have and will continue to take strong steps to hold the Revolutionary Guards accountable, while keeping Canadians safe and protecting the integrity of our immigration system.”
The Express has contacted Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Office for comment. On Tuesday, Canadian Senate Opposition Leader Leo Hosakos challenged the government over the expected arrival of Taj, according to Iranian media reports. “The government may not be able to show the Revolutionary Guards the door, but it will find a way to roll out the welcome mat and welcome him,” he said.
“Leader, why is your government still unable or unwilling to enforce Canada’s terrorism-related immigration ban? What’s the point of putting the Revolutionary Guards on the list if you’re not serious about removing him from our country?”
The Asian Football Confederation convened on Tuesday, but no Iranian officials were present in Vancouver. As 46 of the 47 AFC member countries gathered, AFC Secretary General Windsor John suggested that visa issues were to blame.
“Please note that due to visa processing issues, the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran will not be able to attend the 36th (AFC) competition in 2026,” John said, according to a reporter for The Athletic. FIFA expected all 211 of its member associations to attend Thursday’s meeting, which will serve as both the kick-off event and the tournament for the World Cup.
Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would continue to welcome Iran to the World Cup, despite persistent speculation that the country could still pull out of the tournament. However, it added that anyone with ties to the Revolutionary Guards would be banned from entering the country.
