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Iran has confirmed it will not attend next week’s World Cup finals draw in Washington after several members of its official delegation were refused entry visas by the United States. The Iranian football federation announced the decision on Friday, saying it had formally notified FIFA of its stance.
“We have informed FIFA that the decisions taken have nothing to do with sports, and the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw,” the federation’s spokesperson told state television, condemning the visa denials.
Reports earlier in the week from Iranian sports outlet Varzesh 3 stated that the US had rejected visa requests from multiple delegation members, including federation president Mehdi Taj. On Thursday, Taj criticised the move, claiming it was politically motivated. “We have told the head of FIFA, Mr [Gianni] Infantino, that it is purely a political position and that FIFA must tell them [US] to desist from this behaviour,” he said.
Iran secured qualification for the tournament back in March, earning their fourth consecutive appearance and seventh overall. Despite never progressing to the knockout rounds, the team’s 2–1 victory over the United States at the 1998 tournament remains one of its most celebrated football moments. The US responded with a 1–0 win when the sides met again in the 2022 edition.
Tensions between the two nations have endured for more than 40 years. While nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran resumed in April, they collapsed in June after Israel launched a major bombing campaign against Iran, sparking a 12-day conflict in which the United States briefly intervened.
Infantino has previously attempted to assure teams and officials that access would not be an issue, saying in October: “We have excellent discussions with the US government. There is a White House task force chaired by President Trump, and all these topics are discussed there. With all the relevant secretaries of state, there will be no issues with regard to visas, obviously for the participating teams and delegations, and we are working on something as well for fans.”
FIFA has since introduced the “FIFA Pass,” designed to offer ticket-holders priority in the visa process. However, approval is not guaranteed, leaving uncertainty for fans from countries on the US travel restrictions list.
Featured Image Credit: Unsplash / farshid moghadam, Pixabay
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