Mexico president makes huge Iran announcement days before World Cup
Mexico's president has confirmed Iran will stay in the country for the World Cup after their presence in the United States was unwanted amid political tensions.
Iran qualified for the 48-team tournament after topping Group A in Asian qualifying and have been drawn into Group G alongside New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt for their seventh World Cup.
However, their participation in the competition has long been a topic of controversy - with major doubts about their involvement because of the conflict with host nation the US.
Iran planned to boycott the World Cup draw over visas issues after the country was placed on Donald Trump's banned list.
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Trump, who launched military action against Iran alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, previously said that Iranian players should not come to the US “for their own life and safety” but then later added that they would be “welcome”.
READ MORE: FIFA approve Iran's rare request for World Cup amid United States peace deal talks
All three of Iran's group games are in the US and they were set to base themselves in Tuscan, Arizona.
However, Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj claimed that FIFA had approved a change of headquarters to Centro Xoloitzcuintle in Tijuana, Mexico after talks in Istanbul and an online webinar meeting with FIFA’s Secretary General, Mattias Grafstrom.
Taj, who was turned away at the Canadian border prior to April's FIFA annual congress in Vancouver, added that the team may be allowed to travel to and from games on Iran Air planes.
Mexico president confirms Iran World Cup Change
In response, Mexico president Claudia Sheinbaum has now confirmed that they will host Iran. Iran had previously asked for their games to take place in the alternative host country and that was welcomed by Mexico, though FIFA turned down the request as logistics were deemed "too complicated".
In a daily media conference, she explained: “We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico,
"The United States doesn’t want the Iranian team to spend the night. “So they asked us, ‘Can we stay the night in Mexico?’ We said sure, no problem.'”
Iran's games will still go ahead in the US, with two games at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California against New Zealand and Belgium respectively, and one in Seattle's Lumen Field against Egypt on 26 June.
A flight to Los Angeles from Tijuana is just 55 minutes, with Iran likely to only be on US soil for their scheduled games and any other mandatory game-related duties before returning to Mexico.
Iran's players have been in Turkey for visa applications and a training camp and are poised to take on Gambia in a friendly in Antalya on 28 May.
Iran had been promised that their players will receive visas for the tournament. News of the change in training base comes as the US launched attacks on Iran missile sites and boats attempting to lay mines - threatening a seven-week long ceasefire between the two nations.
Navy captain Tim Hawkins said the action was "defensive". Talks over a peace deal have been ongoing but a resolution to the conflict does not appear to be imminent after the latest developments.
Topics: FIFA World Cup
Josh Lawless