Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj has “demanded assurances from FIFA that his country’s military won’t be insulted” and that Iran’s traveling delegation will be allowed into the U.S. during the World Cup, according to Seth Vertelney of USA TODAY. Taj indicated that, without these assurances, Iran “may not be able to participate in the World Cup.” Iranian soccer officials are set to meet with FIFA regarding their participation in the tournament. Iran’s status for the World Cup has been up in the air “since the U.S. and Israel launched an armed conflict against the Middle East nation in late February.” Taj was “denied entry to Canada for last week’s FIFA Congress due to his previous service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC),” an elite branch of Iran’s military. The IRGC is considered a terrorist organization in both the U.S. and Canada. Taj told Iranian state broadcaster IRIB on Tuesday, “We need a guarantee there, for our trip, that they have no right to insult the symbols of our system -- especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps” (USA TODAY, 5/6).
HOST OBLIGATIONS: REUTERS’ Nick Mulvenney writes Taj “received the backing of Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei for his stance on Wednesday.” Baghaei said, “Our national football team is not ‘travelling’ to the United States, rather we are going there to take part in the FIFA World Cup.” Baghaei: “Therefore, it is FIFA’s responsibility to provide all the necessary facilities and conditions. Host governments also have a very clear obligation under FIFA regulations to provide the necessary arrangements and issue the required visas without taking political considerations or motives into account.” Baghaei added, “We hope that FIFA, if only for the sake of preserving its own credibility, will certainly take the necessary measures” (REUTERS, 5/7).
