The Iran Football Federation (FFIRI) has strongly rejected U.S. claims that an individual linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attempted to board a flight for the national team’s trip to the United States.
On June 22, FFIRI issued a statement declaring, "The claim that an official representative of the Iran Football Federation was prevented from boarding a flight to enter the U.S. is a blatant and undeniable falsehood," condemning remarks made by U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Merlin.
Earlier, in an interview with Fox News, Secretary Merlin alleged that during the Iranian team’s travel from Mexico to Los Angeles for a World Cup group match against Belgium, an individual directly connected to the IRGC attempted to board the flight. He stated that this person tried to disguise themselves as the president of the Iran Football Federation to gain access to the team’s flight but was stopped.
FFIRI contended that the U.S. claims are an attempt to justify restrictions imposed on the Iranian team. The federation stated, "False claims against the Iranian delegation are unacceptable," and expressed its intention to raise the issue with FIFA.
This controversy is intertwined with ongoing issues regarding U.S. entry and residency restrictions affecting the Iranian national team. Although Iran is set to play some matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S., the team has established its base camp in Tijuana, Mexico. Due to U.S. government restrictions, some staff and officials have been denied entry, prompting the team to travel from Mexico to the venues instead of staying long-term in the U.S.
On June 22, the Iranian team played to a 0-0 draw against Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, in their second match of Group G. This follows a previous 2-2 draw against New Zealand, allowing Iran to maintain its hopes of advancing in the group stage.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.