The president of Iran’s football federation said he does not know whether the national team will be able to play World Cup matches in the United States following the American and Israeli bombings of his country.
“It is certain that after this attack, we cannot be expected to wait for the World Cup with hope,” Mehdi Taj told sports portal Varjesh3. Iran carried out the attacks with Israel as part of a wider war prompted by the bombings.
US-Israeli attacks on Iran continued for a second day on Sunday following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, throwing the future of the Islamic Republic into uncertainty and increasing the risk of regional instability.
Iran have been drawn in Group G at the World Cup and are scheduled to play in Los Angeles – where they will face New Zealand belgium on June 15 and June 21 respectively – before playing egypt June 26 in Seattle.
The tournament is being hosted by the United States Canada And Mexico From 11th June to 19th July.
Fans from Iran had already been barred from entering the US in the first iteration of a travel ban announced by the Trump administration.
FIFA did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press on the current situation regarding Iran’s participation in the World Cup, but said Saturday that it was monitoring developments in the area.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
