Iran accuse US officials of detaining Taremi and delaying World Cup travel to Seattle

Mehdi Taremi was detained by US officials during Iran’s travel to Seattle for their 2026 World Cup group match against Egypt, the Iranian Football Federation confirmed, with the squad held up for 25 minutes before being permitted to continue.

The federation said Taremi and assistant coach Saeed Alhoei were “caused problems” at the border, though neither US authorities nor the federation disclosed the specific reason for the disruption. “During the national team’s third trip to the United States, host officials disturbed Saeed Alhoei and Mehdi Taremi, delaying the convoy’s departure to Seattle for the match against Egypt,” the federation’s statement read.

The incident is the latest in a series of logistical difficulties Iran have faced at the tournament. The team has been based in Tijuana, Mexico throughout the group stage despite all of their fixtures taking place on US soil — an arrangement that has drawn sharp criticism from head coach Amir Ghalenoei.

After Iran’s opening match against New Zealand, Ghalenoei described his side as the “most oppressed” team at the World Cup, citing last-minute travel restrictions that forced the squad to return to Mexico immediately after the final whistle rather than recover overnight in Los Angeles as originally planned.

“After the game they said to us ‘you have to leave immediately’,” Ghalenoei said. “We’ve been asked to get on a plane and return to our camp in Tijuana and we are really troubled by that. They are forcing us to go back early. They are making the situation more and more difficult, more hurdles, but we’re not going to let that stop us from doing our best.”

The coach also noted that Iran’s federation staff, media, and management have been absent from the tournament. “I think our team is the most oppressed one in the whole World Cup. Our federation isn’t here, our media isn’t here, our management isn’t here,” he said.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, responding to Ghalenoei’s earlier complaints, said: “The Iranian National Football Team agreed to these terms.”