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Posted on 06/06/2026 2:47:25 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
Iran has accused the US of denying visas to "integral" members of its national football team's backroom staff, hours after Washington confirmed Iranian players had been given permission to travel to the upcoming World Cup.
US officials said visas had been issued to all players and "necessary support staff" on Friday, 10 days before Iran's opening fixture in Los Angeles on 15 June.
They also said Iran would not be allowed to "abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences".
Iran's embassy in Turkey accused the US of "politically biased interference in sport" by denying visas to a "large portion of the managerial and executive staff" and "technical advisers".
Iranian state-linked media said 15 administration officials, including the head of the football federation, his deputy, and a media director were among those were denied entry to the US.
The team set off from their training base in Turkey on Saturday en route to Mexico, where they will be based for the tournament, and are expected to land in the early hours of Sunday after a 20-hour flight.
Under the conditions of their visas, the squad will have to enter and leave the US on the same day as their matches, Iran's ambassador to Mexico said on Saturday.
A statement described the US announcement as a "whitewash", adding: "You have now escalated the deliberate and discriminatory treatment against Iran's national football team to its highest level."
Iranian embassy officials called on Fifa, football's world governing body, to intervene.
The 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, begins on 11 June, with Iran securing their place by finishing top of their qualification group in March 2025, almost a year before war broke out.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
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Bass will give the Iranians the Key To The City.
Let them carry their own towels.
At least Iran won’t be wearing Pride jerseys.
Americans looking forward to the World Cup lasted two minutes. pic.twitter.com/TdEo5UWewb— DNP Sports (@notthefakeDNP) June 6, 2026
“ They also said Iran would not be allowed to “abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences”. 😂
Nice try BBC.
No one gives a dorkbama what the Iranian ‘leaders’ say. I respect the Persions, I do not respect any Islamic “government”.
This is bovine fertilizer.
FIFA should just pull the World Cup from the U.S.
If the U.S. wants to host a major international tournament, we shouldn’t start playing stupid stunts with international teams’ personnel. If we suspect the Iranians of bringing in terrorists, put them under surveillance.
Or refuse to host the event.
Yes, we don’t want the Iranian staff officials bullying their players when the games are over. Some might want to defect.
So let the terrorist in and keep an eye on them? Are you being serious? Iran will play their 3 games, lose and go back home. Relax.
So?
If we have evidence that one or more of the Iranians is a terrorist, ban him for that reason. That’s fine. But it depends on specific and credible information about specific people. But that is not what is being announced here.
As if soccer wasn’t already lame enough in this country, our national team went out and lost a home friendly to Germany on D-Day wearing rainbow number jerseys. :/ https://t.co/K0ytzvV3bV— Jesse Arm (@Jesse_Leg) June 6, 2026
Maybe they should have gotten that Rapinoe fellow out of retirement.
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