The head of homeland security in the United States has revealed he was delighted to see Iran knocked out of the World Cup, saying he even “danced a happy dance” after their elimination.
Iran narrowly missed out on a place in the knockout rounds after a stoppage-time winner against Egypt was ruled out for a marginal offside.
Their hopes of progressing as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams were later ended when Algeria and Austria shared a dramatic 3-3 draw on Sunday.
Speaking on Monday, Department of Homeland Security chief Markwayne Mullin expressed his satisfaction at Iran’s departure from the competition.
“I’m just glad they’re 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.”
He further stated: “There wasn’t a single team that we had to spend more time dealing with than Iran.”
Iran’s participation in the tournament was overshadowed by diplomatic tensions involving the United States and Israel.
Before the competition began, the team’s training camp was moved from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, while players and staff also faced travel restrictions throughout the event.
Under the conditions of their visas, Iran were allowed into the US only one day before their opening two matches and were required to leave immediately after each game.
Although those measures were relaxed for their final group-stage fixture in Seattle, allowing the squad to arrive two days earlier, they were still required to return to Tijuana following Saturday’s draw with Egypt.
The reaction from Mullin drew a swift response from the Iran Football Federation, which said it was not surprised by the comments.
The federation said, “Iranians are used to the mistreatment and lies of US officials, so no-one in Iran is surprised by these hostile remarks.
“The fact that he openly celebrates Iran’s elimination says far more about him than it does about our team.
“It reflects a level of pettiness that cannot even tolerate the presence of a football team competing on the world’s biggest stage.”
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei had earlier criticised tournament hosts the United States, claiming his side had been treated unfairly and given inadequate preparation time.
According to Ghalenoei, the team were the “most oppressed” participants at the tournament, adding that the US had “treated us very unfairly” and that his squad received “less than half” of the preparation period they required.
Team captain Mehdi Taremi also voiced his concerns over the atmosphere surrounding Iran’s campaign.
“This kind of tension undermines the joy of the World Cup. I felt the tension from the first moment we arrived.”
Following their exit, the Iranian squad left a handwritten message of appreciation for the people of Tijuana, where they had been based during much of the tournament.
“True hosting is about respect, humanity, and dignity. We will never forget the kindness of the people of Tijuana,” it said.
“From this day forward, Mexico will always be more than a host nation to us; it will be our second home and our second team.
“We leave this World Cup with pride, but also with one fundamental question: Did every team truly compete under equal conditions and equal professional standards?
“Perhaps one day history will judge who genuinely welcomed Iran’s presence at this World Cup, and who would have preferred our journey to end much sooner.”
