The Iranian football federation is expecting FIFA to issue multiple-entry visas for its team to the United States. In a video broadcast to Iranian media, the federation’s president claimed that the multiple-entry visa will let their players enter the USA and return to Mexico, where their training camp is located.
The Iranian football team initially planned to base itself in Tucson, Arizona. But later moved their base to Tijuana in Mexico, which will also co-host the tournament along with the USA and Canada.
The Iranian football chief, Mehdi Taj, had previously said that the decision was taken to avoid complications with US visas and to allow the squad to fly directly to Mexico on Iran Air flights.
“FIFA is expected to deliver a multiple-entry visa so that the players can enter (the United States) and return (to Mexico),” said Taj.
Iran will play all three of its Group G matches in the USA. “It is certain now that we will go to Mexico. The team is preparing,” he said.
There have been question marks over Iran’s participation in the tournament due to the Middle East war between the country and the US, Israel.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump stated on social media that the Iranian team were welcome for the World Cup, but it would not be appropriate for them to travel to the USA for their own safety.
Responding to Trump, Iran’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said, “The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA — not any individual, country”.
“Certainly, no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup; the only country that could be excluded is one that merely carries the title of ‘host’ yet lacks the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event.”
Meanwhile, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino has maintained that Trump has given him assurances that the Iranian team would be welcome to compete in the USA. “President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” he wrote in a post on Instagram.
“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World”, he added.
