LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – “The visas required for Iran to participate in the World Cup have been issued, including those for athletes and support staff.” This is the statement from US authorities, reported by the BBC, which definitively opens the door to “Team Melli”‘s participation in the World Cup, scheduled for June 11 to July 19 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Iran, which is in Group G with Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand, has changed its training camp established by FIFA, moving it from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico. It will be from their Mexican headquarters that the team will travel to Los Angeles and Seattle, the venues for the group stage matches. The granting of the visas, intended only for players and members of the technical staff, comes just a few days before their debut in Italy scheduled for the night of June 15-16 (in Los Angeles against New Zealand).
But shortly thereafter, the response from their Iranian “colleagues” arrived. “You cannot cover up conduct that violates FIFA regulations and breaches the United States’ obligations as a host country, simply by self-celebrating,” the Iranian embassy in Turkey said on X. “Why don’t you say that visas have been denied to most of the management staff, technical advisors, and other members who are an integral part of any national football team?”.
The respective embassies of the two countries in Turkey were the protagonists of a very significant exchange. First, the US: “We are proud of our exceptional team at the US Embassy in Ankara for their work in processing visa applications for the Iranian national team ahead of the World Cup in the USA. Sport transcends borders, and we look forward to welcoming athletes and fans from around the world,” wrote the US Embassy in Ankara.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
