Arabic version: تم منح فريق كرة القدم الإيراني تأشيرات دخول إلى الولايات المتحدة لكأس العالم القادمة
According to Al Jazeera,
Iran’s national football team has been issued visas to enter the United States for the upcoming World Cup, according to a White House official. This development comes just 10 days before their first match scheduled in Los Angeles.
Despite earlier reports from Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, stating that the squad had not yet received their visas, the White House confirmed that the visas were granted overnight. US Ambassador to Turkiye, Tom Barrack, also acknowledged the visa issuance in a message on X, praising the efforts of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara.
However, some members of the Iranian team’s technical and administrative staff have not yet received their visas, as reported by the semi-official Fars news agency. The Iranian football federation has not yet made a statement on the news.
Due to the ongoing geopolitical tensions between Iran and the US, Tehran has relocated the team’s base from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. This decision reflects a desire to minimize the team’s presence in the United States. Iran’s first Group G match will take place on June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles.
The World Cup has become a platform for political posturing amidst the conflict, as this marks the first time in the tournament’s history that a host nation will welcome a country it is actively at war with. Iran’s participation is seen as a bid for peace, highlighting the complexities of international relations in the context of sports.
