US to enforce strict rules on Iranian fans attending World Cup matches

US Officials Confirm Iranian Team’s Departure After World Cup Games

The US government has confirmed that Iran’s national soccer team will be required to leave the country within hours of the final whistle at their upcoming World Cup group games in Los Angeles and Seattle. This decision comes after criticism over the team’s visa and stay in the US following their first game.

According to Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, the team was informed that they would need to depart the country immediately after each match. The Iranian delegation left the US on Monday evening, shortly after their 0-0 draw with New Zealand in Los Angeles, and returned to their base camp in Mexico.

The team’s coach, Amir Ghalenoei, stated that his players had been ordered to leave the US only a few hours after the match. The Iranian winger Mehdi Torabi’s entry visa expired after the first game, but he has since received a new, multiple-entry visa allowing him to travel into the US for future matches.

The US Department of State confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that the issue with Torabi’s visa had been resolved. Giuliani also outlined the conditions under which the Iranian team would be allowed to enter the US for their games, including arriving in the country one day before each match and departing immediately after the final whistle.

In a separate statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously stated that individuals with direct ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) would not be permitted entry into the US. The Iranian team has faced criticism over their treatment by US authorities during their stay in the country.

Source: Al Jazeera