ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) — Iran’s World Cup soccer team prepares to depart from Türkiye for matches. training base The match was played in Mexico on Saturday ahead of three group games in the United States later this month.
However, Iranian state television said some members of the Iranian Football Federation who were scheduled to accompany the team had not yet received visas to enter the United States.
Iranian TV reported that federation Secretary-General Hedayat Mombeini and Vice-President Mehdi Mohammad Nabi were among 14 backroom staff and officials who did not have U.S. visas ahead of games in Los Angeles and Seattle.
It is unclear whether Mehdi Taj, the federation’s president, has been granted a visa.
The team’s participation in the World Cup is complicated by the following reasons: iran war Along with Israel and the United States. Iran had previously moved its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, due to visa processing issues. border with california.
The federation accused the United States of denying visas to “key management and administrative members” of the team in a “vengeful act.”
A statement carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim and Mehr news agencies said the decision “effectively denied the Iranian national team a level playing field and the opportunity to compete without discrimination.” The federation added that it would pursue the matter through world soccer authority FIFA.
A U.S. official earlier told The Associated Press that all players on the Iranian team ” visa approvedMeanwhile, another official said visas had been issued to players, coaches, trainers and some support staff. Another official suggested that some applicants on the team had their visa applications rejected “under false pretenses.”
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss visas publicly.
The team has been preparing for the World Cup Training camp in Antalyaturkey. the team said so already have a visa From the Mexican Embassy in Ankara.
Iran will play its first two games in Inglewood, Calif., on June 15 against New Zealand and six days later against Belgium, before heading to Seattle to play Egypt on June 26. Iran and the United States could meet in the round of 32 on July 3 in Arlington, Texas, if both teams finish second in their groups.
President Donald Trump in March Iran is depressed He said he did not think it was “appropriate” for him to participate in the tournament and expressed concern for the “life and safety” of the players. The next day, the Iranian national team pushed backstates that “no one can be excluded” from the play.
Iran completed the team Monday will include 17 home-based players whose club has not played since February because of the war. Star forward Sardar Azmoun was reportedly sacked in March over social media posts that angered Iranian authorities during the war.
Iran’s sports minister said in March that it was “impossible” for the team to participate in the World Cup, but the country’s soccer federation announced in May that it was proceeding with the formation of a team. federation He claimed that Visas will be granted to all players and staff, including those who have served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
