Iran staff still denied US visas as World Cup squad secures entry ahead of LA opener

Iran’s World Cup players have secured visas to enter the United States, a White House official confirmed on Friday, but senior federation staff remain without clearance just days before the team’s Group G opener against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.

Iran’s semi-official news agency Tasnim reported that those still awaiting visas include Executive Director Mehdi Kharati, Football Federation Secretary General Hedayat Mombini, and Media Director Mohsen Motamedkia. Staff members without visas are expected to travel to Mexico with the squad while efforts to resolve their entry continue.

Iran’s football federation issued a sharp statement condemning the situation, saying the US had made “a non-sporting and completely political decision to refuse visas for key managerial and administrative members of the Iranian national football team.” The federation said the conduct of the co-host nation “contradicts international sports laws” and confirmed it would pursue the matter through FIFA, calling on the governing body to “follow up and finalise the visas for the managerial, executive, technical, and support staff.”

FIFA was not immediately available for comment.

The dispute has added a charged geopolitical dimension to what is already an unprecedented situation. This is the first World Cup since the tournament’s founding in 1930 in which a host nation is set to receive a country it is at war with. The US and Israel launched military action against Iran in February, and both sides have been accused of using the tournament for political posturing.

Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, had claimed on Thursday that visa documents were still outstanding for the entire delegation. He also noted that the US never formally stated it did not want the Iranian team on its territory, though Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on Tuesday that the US would not permit Iran to include certain individuals in its delegation.

In response to the uncertainty, Tehran negotiated a last-minute change of the team’s base from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, with the squad scheduled to arrive there early on Sunday. Iran will play all three of their Group G matches on US soil — facing New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles before meeting Egypt in Seattle.