Iran bans sports teams from traveling to “hostile” countries

Iran’s Ministry of Sports and Youth has imposed a ban on national and club teams travelling to countries it deems “hostile” or incapable of guaranteeing the safety of Iranian athletes.

According to Iran International, citing domestic media reports, the directive applies to all official sporting delegations and will remain in force until further notice.

“The presence of national and club teams in countries that are considered hostile and cannot ensure the safety of Iranian athletes and team members is prohibited until further notice,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also instructed the country’s football authorities to take immediate procedural steps in response to the restriction. Iran’s football federation and its clubs must inform the Asian Football Confederation of any required changes to match venues resulting from the policy.

By Tamilla Hasanova