FIFA president Gianni Infantino told AFP Tuesday that Iran “will be at the World Cup” and will play their group matches in the United States as scheduled, despite the Middle East war.
“Iran will be at the World Cup,” Infantino said at half-time as Iran beat Costa Rica 5-0 in a friendly in Turkey.
“That’s why we’re here. We’re delighted because they’re a very, very strong team, I’m very happy.”
“I’ve seen the team, I’ve spoken to the players and the coach, so everything is fine,” added Infantino, whose attendance at Tuesday’s game was unannounced.
Infantino went on to stress that Iran’s “matches will be played where they are supposed to be, according to the draw”.
The World Cup, being hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, starts on June 11.
Iran are set to play their first Group G game against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. They are then scheduled to play Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 27.
Iran’s participation had been thrown into doubt by the war with the US and Israel that broke out on February 28.
“For us, what matters most are FIFA’s rules and regulations. We will comply with whatever FIFA decides. Every host country has made commitments to FIFA and must honour them,” Mahdi Mohammadnabi, the vice president of the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI), told AFP at the match.
The FFIRI had said earlier this month it was “negotiating” with FIFA to relocate the country’s World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also said that her country is prepared to host Iran’s first-round matches at the tournament if needed.
-‘Fruitful discussion’ –
Infantino initially said that US President Donald Trump had given assurances that the Iranian team would still be welcome.
But Trump then stated that Iran’s team should not travel to the tournament “for their own life and safety”.
Iran hit back at Trump’s comments, saying that “no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup”.
On Tuesday, Mohammadnabi said Infantino had been en route from Mexico to Qatar.
“Having learnt that we were organising friendly matches here, he came to see us in person, and we had a fruitful discussion,” Mohammadnabi said.
“Given our history in this competition, it is only natural that FIFA should support the Iranian team. Mr Infantino is providing the necessary support to our national team and has given our players a great boost.”
Asked before the game if Iran would be at the World Cup, back-up striker Dennis Eckert Ayensa told AFP: “Inshallah” (god willing).
Iran, who also played a friendly against Nigeria in the Turkish town of Belek last Friday, crushed Costa Rica, who have not qualified for the World Cup, 5-0 on Tuesday.
Skipper Mehdi Taremi, with two penalties, Ali Gholizadeh and Mohammad Mohebbi put Iran four goals up by the break. Half-time substitute Mehdi Ghayedi added a fifth in the 51st minute by which time coach Amir Ghalenoei had started to empty his bench.
Before the game, Iran’s players wore black armbands and posed with photos of what officials said were young victims of the war, including those killed in an airstrike on a primary school in Iran on the first day of the conflict.
The airstrike on the school in the southern Iranian city of Minab on February 28 killed at least 170 people, including students and teachers.
The New York Times has reported that the preliminary findings of a US military investigation indicate that a US Tomahawk cruise missile hit the school due to a targeting mistake.
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