The Iranian national team has issued a statement in response to comments made by US President Donald Trump on their 2026 FIFA World Cup participation.
It was reported by Reuters on Wednesday that Iran's sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, had ruled out his nation's chances of competing at the World Cup in the summer.
Their participation in the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, after the US and Israel launched a 'major combat operation' in Iran on February 28.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed in an airstrike on his office in Tehran later that day.
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Donyamali was quoted as saying: "Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, no under circumstances can we participate in the World Cup.
"Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist.
"Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people. Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence."
Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, on Thursday morning, President Trump wrote: "The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don't believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.
"Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP."
Iran respond to Trump
TeamMelli, the official Instagram account of the Iran national team with 1.2 million followers, has issued a statement via a new story update on Thursday evening.
The statement was subsequently shared by Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei.
It reads: "The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA - not any individual, country.
"Iran's national team, with strength and a series of decisive victories achieved by the brave sons of Iran, was among the first teams to qualify for this major tournament.
"Certainly, no-one can exclude Iran's national team from the World Cup; the only country that could be excluded is one that merely carries the title of 'host' yet lacks the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event."
The official FIFA World Cup account and FIFA president Gianni Infantino were both tagged in the statement.
Infantino met with Trump earlier this week, with the situation in Iran part of the agenda,
In a statement released by Infantino, it was said that Trump 'reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States'.
"We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever," the statement added. "And I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World."
Topics: FIFA, FIFA World Cup, Donald Trump, United States, Gianni Infantino, Football
Ryan Smart