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Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) president Mehdi Taj has demanded assurances from FIFA that his country's military won't be insulted in the United States during the World Cup.
Iranian soccer officials are set to meet with FIFA regarding their participation in the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Iran's status for the World Cup has been up in the air since the U.S. and Israel launched an armed conflict against the Middle East nation in late February.
Taj was denied entry to Canada for last week's FIFA Congress due to his previous service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an elite branch of Iran's military.
The IRGC is considered a terrorist organization in both the U.S. and Canada.
Addressing the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, FIFA president Gianni Infantino made it clear that he expected Iran to be present at the competition in North America.
But according to Taj, the threat of another incident like the one in Canada last week could imperil Iran's participation in the World Cup.
"We need a guarantee there, for our trip, that they have no right to insult the symbols of our system – especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," Taj told Iranian state broadcaster IRIB on Tuesday, May 5.
"This is something they must pay serious attention to. If there is such a guarantee and the responsibility is clearly assumed, then an incident like what happened in Canada will not happen again."
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is welcome this summer, but added that the U.S. may bar anyone in the traveling delegation with ties to the IRGC.
"They can’t bring a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that they are journalists and athletic trainers," Rubio said.
According to Taj, without assurances that Iran's traveling delegation will be allowed into the U.S. and not insulted, it may not be able to participate in the World Cup.
"We are going to the World Cup, for which we qualified, and our host is FIFA – not Mr. Trump or America," he added.
"If they accept hosting us, then they must also accept that they must not insult our military institutions in any way.
"Because if they do, then naturally it could create the same kind of situation that happened in Canada, where there was a possibility we might have to return.
"So there must be this kind of guarantee so that we can go with peace of mind."
Iran is scheduled to play New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, then takes on Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21 before facing Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Iran seeks FIFA guarantees for 2026 World Cup participation
Continue reading...
Iranian soccer officials are set to meet with FIFA regarding their participation in the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Iran's status for the World Cup has been up in the air since the U.S. and Israel launched an armed conflict against the Middle East nation in late February.
Taj was denied entry to Canada for last week's FIFA Congress due to his previous service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an elite branch of Iran's military.
The IRGC is considered a terrorist organization in both the U.S. and Canada.
Addressing the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, FIFA president Gianni Infantino made it clear that he expected Iran to be present at the competition in North America.
But according to Taj, the threat of another incident like the one in Canada last week could imperil Iran's participation in the World Cup.
"We need a guarantee there, for our trip, that they have no right to insult the symbols of our system – especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," Taj told Iranian state broadcaster IRIB on Tuesday, May 5.
"This is something they must pay serious attention to. If there is such a guarantee and the responsibility is clearly assumed, then an incident like what happened in Canada will not happen again."
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is welcome this summer, but added that the U.S. may bar anyone in the traveling delegation with ties to the IRGC.
"They can’t bring a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that they are journalists and athletic trainers," Rubio said.
According to Taj, without assurances that Iran's traveling delegation will be allowed into the U.S. and not insulted, it may not be able to participate in the World Cup.
"We are going to the World Cup, for which we qualified, and our host is FIFA – not Mr. Trump or America," he added.
"If they accept hosting us, then they must also accept that they must not insult our military institutions in any way.
"Because if they do, then naturally it could create the same kind of situation that happened in Canada, where there was a possibility we might have to return.
"So there must be this kind of guarantee so that we can go with peace of mind."
Iran is scheduled to play New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, then takes on Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21 before facing Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Iran seeks FIFA guarantees for 2026 World Cup participation
Continue reading...
