Iran football federation chief Mehdi Taj said on Wednesday that he will meet FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the coming days to seek assurances that Iran will be treated with respect during the World Cup in the United States, as growing political tensions cast uncertainty over the country’s participation in the tournament.
Taj’s planned talks with Infantino come after Canada last week denied him entry because of his past links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a force designated as a terrorist organisation by both the US and Canada.
The development has intensified concerns within Iran’s football establishment ahead of the World Cup, where Team Melli are scheduled to be based in the US and play all three of their group-stage matches.
Speaking to state broadcaster IRIB in Tehran, Taj warned that Iran could reconsider participating in the tournament if FIFA failed to guarantee what he described as respect for the country and its institutions.
“We will tell FIFA what our expectations are. If they can address them, we will definitely participate,” Taj said. “But if there is no guarantee, then no one has the right to insult us or the pillars of our system. If this path of disrespect continues, we may make a different decision.”
The issue has added a political dimension to Iran’s World Cup preparations at a time when tensions surrounding the country have already escalated following the conflict triggered by US and Israeli air strikes on Iran in late February.
On Wednesday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei backed Taj’s position, saying FIFA and the host nations had a responsibility to ensure Iran could compete without political interference.
“Our national football team is not simply travelling to the United States, it is going there to participate in the FIFA World Cup,” Baghaei told reporters in Tehran. “Host governments have a clear obligation under FIFA regulations to provide the necessary arrangements and visas without political motives.”
Away from the off-field uncertainty, Taj said Iran would announce a preliminary 30-man squad this week before trimming it to the final 26 following a training camp in Turkey.
Head coach Amir Ghalenoei said the team plans to arrive in the US two weeks before the tournament begins, although efforts to arrange warm-up matches have faced setbacks, with several teams reportedly pulling out at the last minute.
Iran are scheduled to open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, with Tucson, Arizona set to serve as the team’s tournament base.
For now, however, Iran’s World Cup preparations remain split between football and diplomacy, with the federation seeking FIFA guarantees before fully committing to participation in the tournament.
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