Assistant Coach Mehdi Taremi Held Up at US Airport

Iranian Football Federation Announces Delay in Team’s Departure for World Cup Match

The Iranian football federation has confirmed that the team’s departure from Mexico was delayed by 25 minutes due to issues with Taremi and Alhoei, who were held up by US host officials. According to a statement released on Wednesday, the duo encountered problems while traveling to Seattle for their match against Egypt.

The statement did not provide details on the reason for the hold-up or whether Taremi and Alhoei were subject to questioning. However, it was confirmed that both players joined the delegation after 25 minutes and departed with them for Seattle.

Iran’s squad and support staff have been based in Tijuana, Mexico, as they arrived for the World Cup amid tensions between Iran and the US over their country’s involvement in the conflict. The team has traveled to the US twice before, arriving a day before their fixtures and departing soon after the full-time whistle.

The incident comes after US authorities claimed to have eased travel restrictions on Iran’s World Cup delegation, allowing them to travel to Seattle two days prior to their game but still requiring them to leave immediately afterwards. The Iranian team has expressed concerns over the treatment of Team Melli by American hosts, who have required them to set up a base camp in Mexico while playing all three group-stage matches on the US West Coast.

US officials have stated that their restrictions are related to security concerns, but have not provided further details on how the presence of internationally renowned athletes could pose a threat.

Source: Al Jazeera