Ukraine urge FIFA to ban Iran from the World Cup in Qatar

The Ukrainian FA has urged FIFA to consider banning Iran from upcoming World Cup in Qatar.

Iran are due to face England in their opening match of the tournament on November 21.

They have also been drawn alongside the United States and Wales in Group B.

But their participation in the tournament has now been thrown into doubt, with Ukraine calling for them to be banned.

Ukraine is furious over Iran's support for Russia in its ongoing invasion of its neighbour.

The British Ministry of Defence claims that Iran is continuing to supply Russia with uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles, which have been used against targets throughout Ukraine.

Earlier this month, chief executive of Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, Sergei Palkin, called on FIFA to strip Iran of their World Cup spot and give it Ukraine, who were beaten 1-0 by Wales in their play-off final in June.

The executive committee of the Ukrainian FA have now called for Iran to be excluded from the tournament.

"Taking into account the media information about the systematic manifestations of human rights violations in Iran, which may violate the principles and norms of the FIFA Charter, taking into account the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 regarding the imposition of sanctions on Iran and the alleged involvement of Iran in the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, [we] appeal to FIFA with proposal to consider the issue of excluding the Iranian national team from the 2022 FIFA World Cup," read a statement from the Ukrainian FA, as reported by Sky Sports.

Iran are due to face England, Wales and the United States in Group B (Image: Alamy)

Human rights group Open Stadiums has also called on world football's governing body to ban the Iranian national team from the World Cup because of the country's treatment of women.

Widespread protests have gripped the country since the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died while in police custody earlier this month.

Iran are not the only nation threatened with expulsion from the World Cup this winter.

FIFA has warned Tunisia they could also be banned if the country's government interferes in footballing matters.

Ukraine's FA has called on FIFA to ban Iran from the World Cup (Image: Alamy)

It comes after Tunisia's Youth and Sports Minister, Kamel Deguiche, repeatedly spoke about the possibility of "dissolving federal bureaux" - comments which were interpreted by FIFA as an attempt to meddle in the running of the country's football federation.

The warning comes just weeks before the start of the World Cup, with hosts Qatar taking on Ecuador in the opening match of the tournament on November 20.