The president of Iran’s football federation says he does not know whether the national team will be able to play World Cup matches in the United States after the surprise American and Israeli bombing of his country.
“What is certain is that after this attack we cannot expect ourselves to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Mehdi Taj told sports portal Varzesh3. Iran traded strikes with Israel as part of one expand war prompted by the bombing.
US-Israeli attacks on Iran continued for a second day on Sunday following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threw the future of the Islamic Republic inside insecurity and increased the risk of regional instability.
Iran has been drawn into Group G at the World Cup and will play New Zealand in Inglewood, California, on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, before wrapping up the first round against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
The US will host the tournament along with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Fans from Iran were not allowed to enter the US in the first version of the series travel ban announced by the Trump administration.
FIFA did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press about the current situation regarding Iran’s participation in the World Cup.
