Today's Edition
(REUTERS)
Iran's sports minister said there is no way that the nation's football team will compete in this summer's FIFA World Cup in North America.
Ahmad Donyamali addressed the situation in the wake of combined US and Israeli attacks against Iran in an interview with state television.
"Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup. Our children are not safe, and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist," he said, according to CBS Sports.
"Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people. Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence."
Those remarks came after FIFA president Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump discussed the matter on Tuesday and declared that the Iranian team was welcome to participate when the World Cup gets underway on June 11 in the US, Mexico and Canada.
"This evening, I met with the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump to discuss the status of preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, and the growing excitement as we are set to kick off in just 93 days," Infantino posted on social media.
"We also spoke about the current situation in Iran, and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States. We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World."
Iran is in Group G and is scheduled to play New Zealand (June 15) and Belgium (June 21) in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle (June 26).
FIFA has not confirmed Iran's official withdrawal or announced which team would replace Iran. Iraq is the likeliest squad as the next team in line from the Asian Football Confederation.
