Turmoil surrounding Iran’s World Cup campaign has deepened after the team revealed that winger Mehdi Torabi’s visa expired following their opening match against New Zealand.
Questions over Iran’s involvement in the tournament have lingered since the United States and Israel launched attacks on the country in February.
President Donald Trump had previously warned the squad not to travel, saying it was for their “own life and safety,” while Iran also relocated its tournament base from Arizona to Mexico.
Visa issues have affected the delegation throughout the competition buildup, with nearly a dozen members reportedly refused entry documents. Tournament organizers have also faced mounting criticism over the logistical complications tied to Iran’s travel in and out of the US for matches.
Tensions spilled into public view on Monday night at SoFi Stadium, where, moments after Iran’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand, players and head coach Amir Ghalenoei condemned what they described as “oppressive” and “disastrous” treatment.
According to the team, they were required to leave the United States immediately after the match despite wanting to remain. On Tuesday, Iranian football officials then said Torabi was no longer in possession of a valid US visa. The winger has earned more than 50 caps for his country.
Iran soccer chiefs said Mehdi Torabi’s visa had expired following their World Cup opener
Torabi was an unused substitute in Iran’s draw with New Zealand in Los Angeles on Monday
FIFA president Gianni Infantino was among the crowd at SoFi Stadium on Monday night
A spokesperson for the team said that while ‘multiple-entry visas’ were issued to players to travel to the United States, Torabi’s visa was ‘valid for just one entry.’
Following his trip to Los Angeles to face New Zealand, that visa is said to now have run out. Torabi was an unused substitute in the 2-2 draw.
‘The Iran Football Federation has taken action to obtain a new visa for Torabi so that he can continue to accompany the national team in its upcoming matches,’ a spokesperson continued.
Iran faces Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 21, before taking on Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement: ‘The Iranian National Football Team agreed to these terms.’
US officials previously said visas had been issued to all players and ‘necessary support staff’ but that Iran could not ‘abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretenses.’
A DHS spokesperson also denied suggestions that Iran were unaware that they had to leave the US for Tijuana immediately after Monday’s game.
‘These statements are untrue. Thanks to the generosity of President Trump the Iranian team will be able to arrive the day before their matches,’ they said.
Iran players slammed their ‘oppressive’ and ‘disastrous’ treatment during the World Cup
After months of uncertainty, their World Cup opener ended in a draw against New Zealand
The head of the World Cup task force, Andrew Giuliani, told CBS on Sunday that the Iran team ‘always knew the deal’ that they would be allowed to arrive the day before the match and leave right after.
Giuliani said at the time: ‘It is accurate (that some staff have been denied visas). I can point to the fact that all players have received their visas and all their coaches, so it shouldn’t affect their play on the pitch.
‘The team will be allowed to come in match day minus one, so the day before the match. They’ll be asked to leave the day the match wraps up, so the evening of the match. And they’ll be able to do that again in Los Angeles, and they’ll be able to do it again in Seattle. And that if they qualify for the next round, for the round of 32, they’ll be able to do that again.’
Following the game against New Zealand on Monday night, which FIFA president Gianni Infantino watched from the stands, Iran striker Mehdi Taremi pleaded with soccer’s governing body to ‘help’ the team.
‘Everything is like a disaster actually for us… still, we have some problems because we are supposed to be training tomorrow morning – recovery – then leave for Tijuana,’ he said.
‘But we have to leave Los Angeles right now, and it’s not good for us. It’s not good for the football, because in a World Cup, you have to prepare good for the next game, because it is a lot of stress for the players and the staff and everyone. But we don’t have that support and I think FIFA have to help us more than this.’
Mohammad Mohebi equalized for Iran in the second half, meaning their opener finished 2-2
His teammate Mohammad Mohebi said their treatment was not ‘fair’ and Ghalenoei echoed his players’ feelings, claiming: ‘They said we had to leave immediately.
‘It’s very important for us to have time for recovery and yet we were asked to return to Tijuana and we are really troubled by that… we do not know why they are returning us. I think it’s very strange.’
The head coach continued: ‘It seems like others are doing the planning for us, decisions made elsewhere, we were supposed [to arrive] two nights before the game and we were not permitted.
‘We were supposed to stay tonight and return tomorrow lunchtime but I have no idea why and they haven’t told [us]… our team is the most oppressed one in the whole World Cup.’
