The White House, through Andrew Giuliani, defends its handling of Iran-related visa restrictions during the World Cup after Iran raised complaints during the tournament. Giuliani, who serves as Executive Director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, says the United States’ approach to limiting visas for Iran-linked individuals and related entry issues remains consistent with the administration’s policy objectives. He also addresses operational decisions made for the team’s participation, stating that the team’s choice to base itself in Tijuana, Mexico rather than Tucson, Arizona is described as mutually beneficial. According to Giuliani, the cross-border logistics for accommodation and movement “worked smoothly” for the relevant parties despite Iran’s objections during the group stage and after the team is eliminated from the tournament. Multiple outlets report that Giuliani’s comments are framed as a response to the visa row and to Iran’s public criticisms, but they do not provide further detail on the specific visa denials or the total number of affected individuals. The dispute centers on how visa restrictions are applied and how tournament logistics are managed for the Iranian delegation and team.