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Iran will skip the upcoming World Cup finals draw in Washington because the U.S. government denied visas to several Iranian officials, the Iranian football federation announced Friday. The federation’s spokesperson stated that they informed FIFA that their decision to withdraw has nothing to do with sports, and the Iranian delegation would not take part in the draw.
Reports from Iranian sports website Varzesh 3 indicated that the U.S. declined visas for multiple members, including federation president Mehdi Taj. Taj condemned this move as purely political, asserting that they conveyed to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino that the U.S. actions are politicized, urging FIFA to intervene.
While four delegation members, such as coach Amir Ghalenoei, received visas for the December 5 draw, others were denied. Iran secured its spot in the World Cup this March, marking their fourth consecutive qualification and seventh overall. Though they haven’t reached the knockout stage yet, they recall their greatest moment from 1998 when they defeated the U.S. 2-1 in France—a match that continues to be celebrated. However, in the 2022 tournament, the U.S. got their revenge with a 1-0 victory over Iran.
The U.S. and Iran have been at odds for over 40 years. Recently, high-level nuclear talks between the two nations began in April, focusing on Iran’s uranium enrichment rights, which Tehran considers fundamental. These negotiations stalled in June after Israel launched unprecedented bombing campaigns against Iran, sparking a 12-day conflict that saw the U.S. temporarily join with strikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites.
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