Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj has been refused entry to Canada along with his colleagues ahead of Thursday’s FIFA general meeting.
Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj has been denied entry (Image: Harold Cunningham – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj has been denied entry to Canada ahead of the FIFA annual general meeting in North America. Taj was scheduled to travel to Vancouver to attend the FIFA General Assembly on April 30th.
However, Taj was sent back on the next available flight due to “inappropriate behavior by immigration officials,” according to USA Today and Iran’s Tasnim news agency. The Iranian Football Secretary was accompanied by Secretary-General Hedayat Mombeini and his deputy Hamed Momeni.
Taj reportedly had a temporary residence permit to enter Canada, but was denied entry because of his membership in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. He previously served as commander of the Revolutionary Guards, which Canada lists as a terrorist organization.
Taj was allowed to land, but after questioning he was not allowed to enter Canada and was apparently sent back on Tuesday’s flight.
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When asked for comment by the Mirror, Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Office said: “Canada is proud to host the FIFA World Cup and is working to facilitate a safe and successful tournament.”
“As with all Games-related events, visa applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by trained personnel. Privacy laws prevent us from commenting on individual cases, but our government has been clear and consistent: Revolutionary Guards personnel are not allowed to enter Canada and have no place in our country.”
“We have taken, and will continue to take, strong action to hold the Revolutionary Guards accountable, while keeping Canadians safe and preserving the integrity of our immigration system.”
On Tuesday, Canadian Senate Opposition Leader Leo Hosakos challenged the government over predictions of the Taj’s arrival by Iranian media outlets. “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?”
Gianni Infantino attended the FIFA Executive Board meeting in Vancouver (Image: Verity Griffin – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
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The Asian Football Confederation met on Tuesday, but no Iranian officials were present in Vancouver. AFC general secretary Windsor John suggested that visa issues were to blame, as 46 of the 47 AFC members were called up.
“Please note that due to visa processing issues, the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation will not be able to attend the 36th (AFC) competition in 2026,” John told The Athletic.
FIFA expected each of its 211 member associations to be represented at Thursday’s general meeting. This meeting will serve as both a kick-off event and a 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.
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