Iran’s football chief, Mehdi Taj, has reiterated that Iran’s participation in the World Cup is under FIFA’s authority, not that of the United States or President Donald Trump, as tensions grow over diplomatic sensitivities ahead of the tournament.
His remarks come amid concerns surrounding treatment of Iranian officials linked to the country’s military structure.
Taj, who leads the Iranian Football Federation, was part of a delegation that withdrew before last week’s FIFA Congress in Vancouver after what they described as unacceptable conduct by immigration officials at the Canadian border.
While Taj maintained that the delegation’s return was a voluntary decision, Canada’s immigration minister later told parliament that his visa had been revoked mid-flight due to alleged connections to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, also stated that individuals associated with the IRGC would not be permitted entry into the United States.
Addressing the situation, Taj said, “We are going to the World Cup, for which we qualified, and our host is Fifa – not Mr Trump or America,” Taj said.
He added further concerns about ensuring respect for Iranian institutions during the tournament, stating, “If they accept hosting us, then they must also accept that they must not insult our military institutions in any way.
He continued, “Because if they do, then naturally it could create the same kind of situation that happened in Canada, where there was a possibility we might have to return. So there must be this kind of guarantee so that we can go with peace of mind.”
Taj also urged FIFA to provide firm assurances regarding treatment of Iran’s military-linked bodies, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, ahead of their travel to the United States.
“We need a guarantee there, for our trip, that they have no right to insult the symbols of our system, especially the IRGC,” Taj added.
“This is something they must pay serious attention to. If there is such a guarantee and the responsibility is clearly assumed, then an incident like what happened in Canada will not happen again.”
The IRGC, established after Iran’s 1979 revolution, plays a powerful role in the country’s military, political and economic structure, but is designated as a terrorist organisation by both Canada and the United States.
Meanwhile, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has maintained that Iran will proceed to the tournament as planned, despite earlier requests in March for their matches to be relocated to Mexico.
The upcoming World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, with Iran scheduled to play all its group-stage matches on US soil.
Their fixtures include games against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium on June 21, also in Los Angeles, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
