US Denies Visa to Iranian Diplomat Over World Cup Incident

Iran’s Football Team Still Faces Visa Hurdle Ahead of World Cup

Tehran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, has stated that Iran’s football team is still awaiting US visas and will not be competing in the World Cup on “equal terms” due to difficulties in training ahead of the tournament. The Iranian team was originally scheduled to train in Tucson, Arizona, but relocated their camp to Tijuana, Mexico.

Pasandideh visited the northwestern Mexican border city, where he met with local officials and diplomats from Iran. He expressed concerns about the US government’s handling of the team’s visa application process. “We don’t know whether or not they’re going to give the players their visas,” Pasandideh said.

Iran will play three group games in Los Angeles and Seattle, California. The Iranian Football Federation had hoped that the players would be granted multiple entry visas. However, Pasandideh stated that the team’s inability to train properly due to external factors has affected its participation in the tournament.

The ambassador also mentioned that the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28. As a result, the team’s training schedule was disrupted. The Iranian football team is set to play New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles, Belgium on June 21, and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle.

Source: Al Jazeera