Iran issue furious statement against US days before World Cup opener

Iran have issued a furious statement against the US just days before their World Cup opener in California.

Despite widespread concerns and suggestions that it was not safe for the Iranian team to take part in the tournament due to the ongoing conflict between the US and the Middle Eastern nation, the team have already arrived in the US, although they made the late decision to move their training base from Arizona to Mexico.

Iran’s Group G opener will take place in Inglewood, California, on June 16, with the side taking on New Zealand before clashes against Belgium and Egypt, both of which will also take place in the US.

According to the White House, Iran’s players have already been granted visas allowing them to enter the United States; however, several members of the travelling party's backroom staff are still awaiting their visas.

READ MORE: FIFA perform u-turn on most controversial World Cup decision after backlash

As reported by Iran’s state media agency Tasnim, a number of officials, including executive director Mehdi Kharati, the secretary-general of the football federation, Hedayat Mombini, and media director Mohsen Motamedkia, are yet to receive their visas despite the team's World Cup opener being just 10 days away.

Staff members without US visas will travel to Mexico while they wait for a further update.

The US has already stated that Iran will not be allowed to "abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences".

Iran’s football federation has since accused the US of “hostile actions” against its national team in a furious statement.

“The US government, continuing its hostile actions against the national team, made a non-sporting and completely political decision to refuse visas for key managerial and administrative members of the Iranian national football team,” the statement read.

“This issue will definitely be pursued by the Football Federation through FIFA.

“As the responsible body, [FIFA] has the duty to follow up and finalise the visas for the managerial, executive, technical and support staff of the Iranian national team who are currently in camp and whom the national team urgently needs.”

Meanwhile, the Turkey-based Iranian Embassy also took to X, posting a similar statement accusing the US of deliberately blocking staff members' visas.

“Why do you not say that visas were denied to a large portion of the managerial and executive staff, technical advisers and others who are an integral part of any national football team?” the Iranian embassy posted.

“You have now escalated the deliberate and discriminatory treatment against Iran’s national football team to its highest level.”

Iranian journalists denied entry to US

On Saturday (June 6), reports surfaced claiming “many” Iranian and African journalists had been denied visas ahead of the World Cup.

In a letter set to FIFA, the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) president Gianni Merlo wrote: “We find ourselves facing a long-standing and unacceptable problem for us journalists: the denial of entry visas to regularly accredited colleagues.

“There are many cases: Iranian colleagues, African colleagues, some of whom have been given single entries, so if their team goes to play in Canada or Mexico and they follow it, they can no longer return to the States. The cases are countless and, I repeat, unacceptable. Politicians always say that sport unites and builds bridges between young people in countries in conflict, but in this case, we are going in the opposite direction.

“We believe it is important to allow colleagues to attend the event and work, because their presence will be crucial to the image of sport and what it represents, especially in a country like the United States of America, where freedom of the press is a must.

“I hope FIFA can do everything possible to secure visas. We’re already significantly behind schedule, and many colleagues have already lost the opportunity to use plane tickets booked on time, and they’ll also face significant additional expenses.”

A FIFA spokesperson confirmed to The Athletic that the organisation had received the letter before adding that this was an immigration matter controlled by the host nations – the US, Mexico and Canada.