Key facts
- Iran's football federation has denied US claims that an individual with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attempted to board the national team's flight.
- US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin alleged that someone posing as the Iranian federation president tried to board the team's flight to Los Angeles.
- The Iranian federation (FFIRI) president is Mehdi Taj.
- The FFIRI stated that the claim of an attempted boarding was 'an outright and undeniable lie' and 'entirely baseless allegations'.
- Iran's World Cup coach Amir Ghalenoei has previously criticized US travel restrictions, stating they impact the team's training and morale.
- The Iranian team is reportedly required to travel on the day of matches and return to Tijuana, Mexico, immediately afterward.
Iran's football federation has vehemently denied claims made by US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin that an individual with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attempted to board the national team's flight to Los Angeles. The federation (FFIRI) called the allegations 'fabricated and entirely baseless,' asserting that such an incident never occurred and that the claims were made to justify existing travel restrictions.
These denials come amid ongoing criticism from Iran's World Cup coach, Amir Ghalenoei, who has accused the United States of mistreating his team with unfair travel restrictions and visa denials. Ghalenoei stated that these measures have negatively impacted the team's preparation, leading to reduced training time and forcing a demanding travel schedule that requires them to fly on match days and return to their base in Tijuana, Mexico, immediately afterward. He has expressed hope that FIFA President Gianni Infantino can help ease these restrictions.
Fans have been gathering at Iran's hotel in Tijuana to show their support for the team amidst these challenges. Ghalenoei has also noted that visa denials have affected essential support staff and media personnel, further complicating the team's operations.