TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iran has banned Iranian sports teams from traveling to countries it deems “hostile,” Iranian state television reported Thursday, ahead of a Tractor FC soccer match scheduled for Saudi Arabia.
The ban, announced by Iran’s Sports Ministry in Tehran, did not mention the World Cup, which begins June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The ministry’s statement cited the tractor battle against Dubai’s Shabab Al Ahli, which was scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia. It’s a playoff game in asia champions league elite.
“The presence of national and club teams in countries that are deemed hostile and cannot ensure the safety of Iranian players and team members is prohibited until further notice.”
of iran war impacting this region, Almost all countries in the Middle East Receive damage from missile attacks, drone attacks, or shrapnel.
Tractor’s playoff game in Saudi Arabia came a day after the Asian Football Confederation made the following announcement on Wednesday after the draw to determine the quarter-final pairings. western zone playoffs it is postponed Due to the war in the Middle East, the Jeddah performance was rescheduled to April 13th and 14th.
The Saudi city will also host the tournament’s quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals from April 16 to 25, with organizers setting the dates in hopes of peace in the region.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry added that the football federation and the clubs “are responsible for informing the Asian Football Confederation of this matter in order to relocate the match.”
Iran’s position on the World Cup
The Iranian ambassador in Mexico City said he is negotiating with FIFA to move three of Iran’s group stage matches from the United States to Mexico following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. disappointed Team refrains from participating 48 countries competitionciting safety concerns.
But last week, FIFA president Gianni Infantino further undermined Iran’s attempts to postpone World Cup matches, saying the world’s soccer governing body wanted the tournament to “go ahead as scheduled.”
Iranian government and soccer officials said they had no intention of boycotting the match. world cup However, due to military attacks on the United States by Israel and the United States since February 28, the national team’s visit to the United States has become impossible.
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