The Iranian government has strongly criticized the United States, one of the co-hosts of the World Cup, for what it described as “unfair treatment” after certain members of the Iranian national team were denied visas to enter the country for the tournament.
In a statement posted on X, the Iranian embassy in Turkey questioned, “Why is it not mentioned that a significant number of managerial and executive personnel, technical advisors, and other essential members of the national football team were denied visas?” This came in response to U.S. envoy Tom Barrack’s earlier remarks that visas had been approved for the players.
The embassy further asserted, “You have now escalated the deliberate and discriminatory treatment against Iran’s national football team to its highest level.” According to Iran’s semi-official news outlet Tasnim, individuals who did not receive visas include prominent figures like executive director Mehdi Kharati, football federation secretary general Hedayat Mombini, and media director Mohsen Motamedkia. Those staff members who lack visas are expected to travel to Mexico with the team while efforts to secure the necessary documentation continue.
This reaction from Iran follows a statement from a White House official confirming that the players had been granted entry visas to the United States just ten days prior to their first match in Los Angeles, amidst ongoing tensions between the two nations.
Abolfazl Pasandideh, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, mentioned late Thursday that, although the squad had not initially received their U.S. visas, they were eventually issued overnight, as stated by the White House representative.
A spokesperson for the Iranian football federation was unavailable for immediate comment.
Due to visa complications and rising sentiments within Iran regarding the team’s exposure in the U.S., Iran opted for a last-minute relocation of the team’s base from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. The squad is scheduled to arrive in Tijuana early Sunday morning.
Iran is set to compete in their inaugural Group G match against New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles, followed by a match against Belgium on June 21, and concluding their group stage with a game against Egypt on June 26 in Seattle.
Pasandideh stated that the United States has never explicitly indicated that they opposed the Iranian team’s presence on American soil.
However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed lawmakers on Tuesday that the U.S. would not permit individuals associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a powerful segment of Iran’s military, to be part of Iran’s World Cup delegation. Notably, several players on the Iranian team have completed mandatory military service with this group.
