Iran alleges "discriminatory" US visa denials ahead of World Cup

Several members of Iran’s national football team delegation, including coaching staff, have been denied US visas ahead of the upcoming World Cup, according to the Iranian embassy in Türkiye, as cited by Agence France-Presse.

The issue emerged despite earlier statements from US officials indicating that visas had been granted to the Iranian delegation. On June 3, Iran’s ambassador to Türkiye, Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh, said players had received visas to travel to the tournament. On June 6, US ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack stated that both players and support staff had been issued visas.

However, the Iranian embassy challenged that account, saying key members of the delegation had been excluded. “Why do you not say that a significant part of the leadership and coaching staff, technical consultants and other individuals who are an integral part of the national team were denied visas?” the embassy said, calling the situation “the highest level of deliberate discriminatory treatment.”

Iran are due to play all three of their group-stage matches in the United States, where they have been drawn alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand.

In a related development, football’s governing body approved on May 24 the relocation of Iran’s tournament base from the United States to Mexico.

The expanded World Cup, featuring 48 teams for the first time, is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19, with matches hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

By Tamilla Hasanova