Iran to be excluded from FIFA World Cup tournament

Iran’s Sports Minister Announces Country’s Withdrawal from FIFA World Cup

Iran’s sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, has stated that the country will not participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup due to the recent attacks on its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The US and Israel launched their attacks on February 28, resulting in significant loss of life and infrastructure damage.

As a result, Iran’s group-stage fixtures have been allocated to American cities, including Los Angeles and Seattle. Donyamali cited the country’s safety concerns as the reason for its withdrawal, stating that “our children are not safe” under current conditions.

The decision comes after the head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, expressed doubts about the team’s participation last week. However, it was not until now that an official from the Iranian government has made a statement on the matter.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino had previously stated that Iran’s participation in the World Cup would be welcomed by US President Donald Trump, who met with him to discuss preparations for the tournament. However, Donyamali’s announcement contradicts this statement, as he explicitly ruled out Iran’s participation due to the attacks on its leader.

Iran was initially set to participate in the World Cup, which will take place from June 11 to July 19. The country secured qualification early on and had been preparing for the tournament.

Source: Al Jazeera