Iran won’t play in World Cup, minister says
Iran Won’t Play in World Cup, Minister Says
The sports minister of Iran has declared that the nation will not participate in this year’s World Cup under any conditions. This comes amid ongoing tensions following recent military actions by the US and Israel against Iranian targets, which have sparked retaliatory strikes across the Middle East.
FIFA’s head, Gianni Infantino, recently held a meeting with US President Donald Trump to review the progress of the tournament’s preparations. During the conversation, Trump assured that Iran would be allowed to take part, despite the geopolitical strife.
“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” stated Ahmad Donyamali, Iran’s sports minister, in a televised address.
Mehdi Taj, the head of the Iranian Football Federation, questioned the rationale behind entering the competition: “Which reasonable individual would send the national team into such a volatile situation?”
The Iranian men’s team is set to compete in the US during June, with matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt scheduled. Trump, who received FIFA’s first peace prize last year, had previously expressed indifference toward Iran’s involvement in the tournament.
Infantino later shared on Instagram that Trump emphasized during their discussions: “The Iranian team is, without doubt, welcome to compete in the United States’ World Cup.”
This decision follows a controversial incident involving six members of Iran’s women’s football squad. They were granted humanitarian visas to stay in Australia after failing to sing the national anthem before a game, raising fears of potential harm. One player has since returned to Iran.
A travel restriction imposed by Trump prevents Iranian fans from attending the event in America this summer. However, exceptions are being considered for the teams themselves.
FIFA’s World Cup chief operating officer, Heimo Schirgi, reiterated earlier this week that the tournament will proceed as planned. He stated: “The World Cup is too significant to be delayed due to global tensions sparked by the Iran conflict. We hope all qualified teams can join.”
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