The U.S. is easing entry restrictions for Iran’s World Cup team, allowing their arrival two days before their next match in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. However, the team must leave the U.S. after Friday’s game in Seattle, a department spokesperson confirmed. The Iran Football Federation also stated that the team will move from its base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, to Seattle on Wednesday.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, mentioned, “We were going to look at how the first two movements went, and if they went smoothly, we would extend the extra day in light of the longer travel time.”
The policy change was initially reported by NBC News amid ongoing negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials regarding the conflict in Iran. The Iranian squad has expressed difficulties with travel restrictions since the conflict began. In March, Iran sought to shift its group-stage matches to Mexico due to diplomatic relations. Their request to move from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana was approved shortly before their arrival. Certain team members and support staff have been denied entry into the U.S. for travel with the team.
For previous matches near Los Angeles, the team only received permission to travel a day ahead. Iran’s coach, Amir Ghalenoei, argued this restriction was a disadvantage, especially with limited time to prepare before a noon match against Belgium, which resulted in a 0-0 draw. He noted, “The conditions have been extremely hard for us.”
Typically, teams travel one day before a match, consistent with FIFA regulations that teams should arrive a day before the match or, in some cases, two days prior. Iran requested extra time for acclimatization and recovery due to the 1,200-mile trip to Seattle.
Iran captain Alireza Jahanbakhsh said, “We don’t ask for much. We just ask for the same procedure as for all the other 47 teams.” He expressed a desire to bring everyone involved with the team for support.
The team faced issues when traveling between Tijuana and Los Angeles. Despite a short distance of 127 miles, the trip required five hours before their match against New Zealand. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin claimed there were attempts to enter individuals linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, a charge firmly denied by Iran’s soccer federation.
Iran’s players and coaches, focusing on the sport, have generally avoided political discussions, except for commemorating victims of a missile strike on a school at the start of the Middle Eastern conflict. Players wore gold pins with “168,” honoring those killed.
On Tuesday in Tijuana, four flags marked with “168” were placed at their last training session before heading to Seattle. It’s uncertain if Iran’s next opponent, Egypt, will be granted a similar early arrival. After a win over New Zealand, Egypt wished to fly directly to Seattle, but FIFA denied this due to security constraints, returning the team to Spokane instead.
Efforts to get comments from Egypt’s national team were not immediately successful.