The head of Iran's football federation has stated that the country's World Cup preparations remain on track, but participation hinges on guarantees that the United States will respect Iran's armed forces, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI), told state broadcaster IRIB: "The Americans, if they guarantee not to insult our military institutions and the IRGC, we'll go." He referenced a recent incident where an FFIRI delegation was denied entry to Canada, citing unacceptable behavior by immigration officials.

Canada designated the IRGC a terrorist entity in 2024, and the Canadian government stated Taj was denied entry due to alleged ties to the IRGC. The delegation returned to Turkey, accusing Canadian officials of insulting one of Iran's "most honorable organs."

Iran is preparing for the 2026 World Cup in the US, with the team set to travel to Turkey for final preparations before heading to the US in June. Iran will face New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt in the group stage.

Taj plans to meet FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom in Zurich to seek guarantees that the Iranian team and officials will not face entry restrictions or disrespect toward Iran's state institutions.

"We are going to the World Cup because we qualified. Our host is FIFA, not Mr. Trump or America," Taj asserted, emphasizing Iran's right to participate.

Source: www.aljazeera.com