Iran and US officials trade barbs after Iran’s World Cup exit amid visa and travel disputes

Iran responds to US homeland security secretary comments‘I was so happy when we said they could leave US soil’Iran’s football federation has responded to a senior US official celebrating their exit from the World Cup by accusing the co-hosts of peddling “lies”, saying they are “used to mistreatment”. On Monday, the US homeland security secretary, Markwayne Mullin said he performed a “happy dance” and “sung a song or two” after Iran failed to qualify for the last 32. Mullin, speaking at a briefing at the government’s special event coordination centre in Washington, said: “I’m just glad they’re [Iran] done, and they’re not coming back. “I was so happy when we were able to pull their visas and said they could leave the US soil, and I might’ve sung a song or two or maybe even danced a happy dance. I’m very happy they’re going back because there wasn’t a single team that we dealt with more than them.” Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, argued his team were the “most oppressed” at the tournament in his first press conference and, after their final Group G match in Seattle, Iran’s captain, Mehdi Taremi, intimated the US would rather Iran not advance to the knockout stage.“We have to fight against everything here,” Taremi said after last Friday’s draw against Egypt. “I don’t know if people want it or not, but as we see it by our perspective, yeah, they are like that I think.” Ghalenoei said on numerous occasions that the treatment of his staff and players was unfair. Eleven of Iran’s wider team, including the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) president, Mehdi Taj, were denied visas by the US authorities. They were also angry about their travel arrangements imposed by the US. On the eve of the tournament they were forced to move their training base, relocating from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. Responding to Mullin’s comments, a spokesperson for the FFIRI said: “Iranians are used to the mistreatment and lies of US officials, so no one in Iran is surprised by these hostile remarks. These remarks once again demonstrate that US officials have no commitment to international law or the principles expected of a host nation capable of organising a global sporting event. Continue reading...

Iran leaves World Cup with dignity despite unprecedented political pressure and logistical hurdles Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 06/29/2026 - 19:12 The Islamic Republic's journey in the global tournament ended over the weekend after a cruel group-stage exit, but fans have rallied around the team Footballer Mehdi Taremi applauds after the 1-1 draw during the Fifa World Cup 2026 Group G match between Egypt and IR Iran at Seattle Stadium on 26 June 2026, in Seattle, Washington (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images/AFP) Off Iran’s World Cup 2026 campaign is over, but the team’s farewell has sparked an outpouring of support that stretches far beyond the results on the pitch. Team Melli exited the tournament unbeaten after three draws, including a 1-1 result against Egypt in Seattle. But Iran’s goodbye came with a final moment of heartbreak: defender Shoja Khalilzadeh appeared to have scored a stoppage-time winner that could have transformed their qualification hopes, only for VAR to rule it out for offside. The decision sparked a fierce debate among fans online, many of whom argued that the call was so marginal as to be out of the spirit of the game. Iran finished with three points and had to wait for results elsewhere. When Austria struck a last-gasp equaliser against Algeria the following day, both teams went through, and Iran was eliminated. FIFA's president Infantino was right about one thing — Iran played well, united the world, and made everyone proud. Everything else was a lie. He knew they were harassed. He did nothing. But he did help push them out of the World Cup. 🇮🇷 pic.twitter.com/35qv5S5Z4P — Mohamad Al Shami محمد الشامي (@mamashami2) June 28, 2026 For supporters, a refereeing decision became the final image of a campaign in which Iran had already been made to contend with far more than just footballing matters. From the outset, the team was forced to operate under extraordinary travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration, with the squad based in Tijuana, Mexico, and required to cross the border for matches in the US. Extremely restrictive conditions gave them no time to acclimatise to the match circumstances. 🚨 IRAN TEAM TREATED LIKE CRIMINALS Forced out of the US after their match. Exhausted players arrive in Tijuana, Mexico at 4 AM. This is empire weaponizing visas and football against any Global South nation that refuses to bow. Same playbook used on African teams and Lumumba… pic.twitter.com/rYLmbovTi2 — New Direction AFRICA (@Its_ereko) June 28, 2026 Iran’s coach, Amir Ghalenoei, said the conditions had undermined the team’s preparations, while the federation said it intended to file a formal complaint with Fifa over what it described as unequal treatment. The team had initially been allowed to enter the US only shortly before matches and required to leave again immediately after the games, meaning players repeatedly travelled back to Tijuana rather than staying close to venues for recovery and preparation. US authorities later eased the rules before Iran’s final group-stage match in Seattle, allowing the squad to arrive two days earlier. But they were still required to leave the country immediately after the matches. The situation became even more difficult when the captain of Iran's team, Mehdi Taremi, and assistant coach Saeed Alhoei were reportedly delayed by US airport officials on arrival in Seattle, disrupting the team’s preparations ahead of its final decisive match. For critics, the arrangement made a mockery of Fifa’s repeated claims about equal competition and the World Cup as a tournament for everyone. Iran’s players were expected to compete against elite international opponents while dealing with border crossings, compressed recovery windows, visa uncertainty, and political scrutiny that other teams did not face. Players treated like politicians  The burden placed on Iran’s players was not limited to travel. Throughout the tournament, the team was repeatedly asked questions during press conferences about geopolitics, Iranian domestic politics, flags, war, and regional tensions. No other team was asked to explain their country's political positions or human rights record. The pressure reached another level ahead of the match against Egypt in Seattle, which coincided with the city’s Pride weekend and was promoted locally as a Pride-linked fixture, but it was not an official Fifa match designation. Taremi was asked after the game about the LGBTQ+ community and the controversy surrounding the match. The Iranian captain answered, saying, “Our religion doesn’t accept that, but we respect all of the LGBT people. That’s their own idea. It’s not about us. We are here to play football.” His remarks were widely shared, with many people praising the dignity and calmness of his response. But the viral exchange also drew attention to a more basic question. Why was a football captain being asked to account for politically charged issues that had little to do with his team’s performance, tactical preparation or the match itself? 🚨 🇮🇷 BREAKING — Iran Captain: “We respect all of the LGBT people.” pic.twitter.com/TuPr7phj6k — Pamphlets (@PamphletsY) June 27, 2026 People argued that Taremi was being treated less like an athlete and more like a stand-in for an entire country, its government, and political system. It is a pattern familiar to players from Iran, Palestine, African countries and other parts of the Global South, who are often expected to answer for wars, state policies, social issues, and geopolitical conflicts. Meanwhile, critics argued that players from the US, the Netherlands, and other western nations are not expected to talk about anything other than football. Comedian Trevor Noah captured that double standard in a widely shared post, writing: “Funny how some teams get asked about football… and others get asked to explain the world. Shoutout to the Iran team for carrying that weight.” Funny how some teams get asked about football… and others get asked to explain the world. Shoutout to the Iran team for carrying that weight.#WorldCup #Iran pic.twitter.com/6NwTklLqXE — Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) June 28, 2026 Iran’s final game was also played amid a politically fraught atmosphere, with the team facing boos during the anthem and supporters displaying competing symbols of Iranian identity. The games were repeatedly overshadowed by tensions far larger than the players on the field. Yet Iran’s players continued to insist on the simplest point: they were there to play. That message has resonated with fans bidding farewell to the team after a difficult campaign.  👋 Iranian players bid farewell to Tijuana and its locals following their 2026 World Cup elimination. pic.twitter.com/gaYfY4oeT2 — Persian Soccer (@PersianFutbol) June 29, 2026 World Cup 2026 Trending Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:29 Update Date Override 0

Iran praises resilience after World Cup exit under US threats and pressure Iran’s Foreign Ministry has praised the national football team after its hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stage ended, saying the players had endured “inhumane and unprecedented pressures”. “Neither did restrictions become an excuse, nor did pressures lead to submission,” ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a post on X. His comments came after Austria’s match against Algeria confirmed Iran’s elimination, ending the team’s bid to reach the knockout phase for the first time. Iran’s campaign unfolded under heavy dicriminatory pressure by the US authroties on the team including visa restrictions disrupting the team’s movement during the tournament. Iran were based in cohost Mexico but had to travel into the US for all three group-stage matches. US authorities required the team to enter the country within 24 hours of each game and leave on the same day. Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei has described the US government’s treatment of his squad as “really terrible“.

US temporarily eases restrictions on Iran’s world cup team The United States has eased restrictions on Iran’s football team for the World Cup, allowing them to travel into the US two days before their next match rather than one, according to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The restrictions placed on the players had led the Iranian coach to say that his country’s was “the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup”. A DHS spokesperson said that the Iranian team will still be required to leave the day the match ends. Iranian football team players warm up before the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Belgium and Iran at Los Angeles Stadium on 21 June 2026 (Harry How/AFP)

Iran coach criticises World Cup travel restrictions before Belgium match Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei has criticised what he described as increasingly difficult preparation conditions ahead of his team's World Cup match against Belgium, saying that "conditions have become even harder" than they were before Iran's opening game against New Zealand. Iran have been based in Tijuana, Mexico, throughout the tournament and have travelled into the United States for their Group G matches due to restrictions on their stay. Ghalenoei said the latest travel arrangements left his squad with less than 16 hours to prepare and reduced training time by half. "We only managed to train half the time we usually spend on training. We wanted to have optimal physical and technical preparation," he told reporters.   Amir Ghalenoei attends a press conference ahead of Iran’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match against Belgium in California, 20 June 2026 (Harry How/Getty Images via AFP)

Iran team blames US for 'disastrous' restrictions at World Cup Iranian football players have voiced frustration over recurring World Cup hurdles against their participation in the tournament, pointing to politically driven decisions by US authorities as the source of restrictions. Team Melli have been subject to travel restrictions since the tournament kicked off last week. Players and coaching staff say the travel schedules are impacting their match performance. After their match with New Zealand in Los Angeles on Monday, the team was forced to fly back to their base camp in Mexico on the same day. It was not the team’s choice to fly back, as they had planned to hold a recovery session in Los Angeles the next day, striker Mehdi Taremi and goalscorer Mohammad Mohebi said in press interviews. “They have said we have to leave immediately,” head coach Amir Ghalenoei added. Read more: Iran team blames US for 'disastrous' restrictions at World Cup Members of the Iran coaching team during the national anthems before the New Zealand match as fans display pre-Iranian Revolution 'Lion and Sun' flags behind them, 15 June (Reuters/Daniel Cole)