Tehran: Iran will participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup but the hosts, especially the United States of America, must take their ‘concerns into account’, the Iranian Football Federation (IFF) has said.
Tehran insisted that the country will take part in the tournament without going away from its ‘beliefs’.
This demand came after Canada’s refused to permit the entry to the IFF’s chief ahead of the FIFA Congress, citing his links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Ottawa had designated IRGC a terrorist organisation in 2024.
Iran’s participation in the tournament, scheduled between June 11 and July 19, has remained uncertain since conflict erupted in the Middle East in February after military strikes by the United States and Israel.
“We will definitely participate in the 2026 World Cup, but the hosts must take our concerns into account. We will participate in the World Cup tournament, but without any retreat from our beliefs, culture and convictions,” the Iranian federation said on their official website, as reported by News18.
Mehdi Taj, president, IFF, told state television on Friday that Tehran has laid down 10 conditions for attending the FIFA World Cup, seeking guarantees over how the nation and its officials will be treated.
The demands include guaranteed visas, respectful treatment of the national team staff, flag and anthem during the tournament, along with enhanced security at airports, hotels and on routes to the stadiums where Iran will play.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has insisted that Iran’s footballers would be welcome at the tournament.
He had, however, cautioned that the US could still deny entry to members of the Iranian delegation linked to the IRGC, which Washington also classifies as a terrorist organisation.
“All players and technical staff, especially those who have served their military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or IRGC, such as Mehdi Taremi and Ehsan Hajsafi, should be granted visas without any problems,” Taj said.
