06/06/26 09:15:00
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06/06 09:13 CDT Iran's soccer team leaves for World Cup as some officials still
await US visas
Iran's soccer team leaves for World Cup as some officials still await US visas
By KHALIL HAMRA
Associated Press
ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) --- Iran's World Cup soccer team set off from Turkey for
their training base in Mexico on Saturday with some members of their entourage
reportedly still without U.S. visas, ahead of three group matches in the United
States later this month.
According to Iranian state television, the Iranian Football Federation
secretary-general, Hedayat Mombeini, and its vice president, Mehdi Mohammad
Nabi, were among 14 backroom staff and officials without U.S. visas ahead of
games in Los Angeles and Seattle.
It was unclear whether the federation's president, Mehdi Taj, had been issued a
visa.
The team's participation in the World Cup has been complicated by Iran's war
with Israel and the United States. Problems with processing visas had earlier
led Iran to move its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, on
Mexico's border with California.
The federation accused the U.S. of "vindictive behavior" in refusing visas for
"key managerial and administrative members" of the team.
The decision had "effectively denied the Iranian national team the opportunity
for a level playing field and a competition free from discrimination," said a
statement on the federation's website. It added that the federation would
pursue the matter through world soccer authority FIFA.
The Iranian Embassy in Ankara, meanwhile, responded to an earlier social media
post from U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, in which he congratulated his
embassy staff for processing the Iran team's visas.
"You cannot whitewash conduct that violates FIFA regulations and breaches the
United States' host obligations merely by praising yourselves," the Iranian
post read. "This represents the worst possible form of politically biased
interference in sport."
One U.S. official earlier told The Associated Press that all players on the
Iranian team were approved for visas, while a second official said visas had
been issued for players, coaches, trainers and some support staff. A third
official suggested that some applicants affiliated with the team had been
rejected for requesting visas "under false pretenses."
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized
to discuss the visas publicly.
The squad has been preparing for the World Cup at a training camp in Antalya,
Turkey. The team said it has already received visas from Mexico's Embassy in
Ankara.
The players, dressed in blue blazers over white T-shirts, left the luxury
Mardan Palace hotel in Antalya on Saturday afternoon. They boarded a private
jet at the Mediterranean city's airport and were due to fly directly to Mexico.
Iran plays its first two games in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on
June 15, and Belgium six days later, then heads to Seattle to face Egypt on
June 26. Iran and the U.S. could meet in the round of 32 on July 3 in
Arlington, Texas, if both teams come second in their groups.
President Donald Trump in March had discouraged Iran from participating in the
tournament, saying he didn't think it was "appropriate" and raising concerns
over players' "life and safety." A day later, Iran's national team pushed back,
saying "no one can exclude" it from playing.
Iran finalized its team Monday, including 17 home-based players whose clubs
have not played since February because of the war. Star forward Sardar Azmoun
was dropped in March, reportedly because of a social media post that angered
Iranian authorities during the war.
Iran's sports minister said in March that it would "not be possible" for the
team to participate in the World Cup, but the republic's soccer federation said
in May it was moving ahead with a team. The federation had insisted that all
players and staff be granted visas, including those who had military service in
the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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