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U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has approved an alteration to the Iranian national team's travel restrictions -Credit:Bloomberg, Bloomberg via Getty Images
Iran's national soccer team has finally reached a new deal regarding transportation to and from FIFA World Cup games, with the arrangement approved by the Trump administration.
There have been a multitude of challenges for Iran heading into the World Cup, on top of the ongoing conflict back home. The national team was originally scheduled to be based in Arizona before their training camp was relocated to Tijuana, Mexico, in late May, while Iran has also been granted restricted access to the U.S.
Iran has had to travel from Mexico to World Cup games in the U.S. one day prior to kickoff, and must then depart shortly after the final whistle. This prompted Iran to plan to file an official complaint with FIFA, but a compromise has now been reached ahead of Friday's match against Egypt, via The Mirror US. It follows a chilling discovery made near Iran's training facility.
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The Iranian soccer team has voiced concerns about unequal treatment compared to other nations throughout the World Cup, yet has still managed to secure consecutive draws despite the disruption. The limited preparation time ahead of games has proved frustrating for the national team.
The additional travel demands and strict regulations have also placed strain on the squad, but the Department of Homeland Security is revising the guidelines ahead of Friday's game in Seattle, Washington. A spokesperson told NBC News that Iran will now be permitted additional time in other countries.
Iran will now be permitted to arrive in Seattle two days ahead of Friday's match, compared to the previous 24-hour window. Iran had earlier expressed concerns about adapting to unfamiliar climates and surroundings mere hours before World Cup fixtures.
Nevertheless, Iran will still be obligated to return to Tijuana, Mexico, immediately following the match's conclusion. "Ahead of the match in Seattle on June 26, the Iranian team will be allowed to come in match day minus two, so two days before the match," a DHS spokesperson said to NBC.
"They'll be asked to leave the day that the match wraps up, so the evening of the match. Again, the President wants to make sure that we're talking about what actually happens on the pitch.
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"A lot of that is making sure that things are safe and secure, not just around the stadiums, but around base camps and training sites."
Andrew Giuliani was appointed head of the White House FIFA Task Force by President Trump and hinted that the policy regarding Iran could be reviewed. Yet Iran's appeal to modify protocols before their first two matches was rejected.
The DHS had maintained that Iran accepted the current requirements, though the national squad sought adjustments after experiencing the challenging timeline. The extra 24 hours provided ahead of Friday's game could prove crucial, particularly as Iran stands a realistic shot at advancing to the knockout stages.
In a frantic opening fixture, Iran battled to a 2-2 tie with New Zealand, before squaring off against Belgium, widely regarded as the group's frontrunners. Iran held the Belgians to a goalless draw, and even found the net in the first half, only for VAR to disallow the strike for offside.
Egypt remain the only side to have claimed a victory in the group so far, and they square up against Iran on Friday. Iran need at least a point to keep their qualification hopes alive, while Egypt will be pushing hard to secure top spot in the group.
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