Iran’s World Cup participation depends on team’s safety in the US: Minister

Iran’s football team is preparing for the World Cup, but a final decision on its participation in the tournament will be taken by the government, the country’s sport minister says.

“If the safety of the national team’s players in the United States is ensured, we will travel to the World Cup,” Iran’s Sports and Youth Minister Ahmad Donyamali was quoted as saying by Iran’s Tasnim news agency on Thursday.

“The decision will be made by the government and the Supreme National Security Council,” he added.

Team Melli are scheduled to play all their World Cup games in the US, one of the three host nations alongside Canada and Mexico, but their participation has been uncertain since the US-Israeli war on Iran began on February 28.

The doubts surrounding Iran’s role in the tournament remain as a fragile Pakistan-mediated ceasefire between Tehran and Washington nears its deadline on Thursday.

Donyamali, speaking to Iranian media, insisted that the team will continue to train for the World Cup regardless of the ongoing geopolitical tensions.

“The national team may not go to the World Cup, but if we are going to participate, we must be ready,” he said.

Iran’s Football Federation (FFIRI) asked FIFA to move its games out of the US last month, but the sport’s governing body said all World Cup fixtures will go ahead as scheduled, dismissing the possibility of Mexico hosting the Iranian team, citing logistical impediments.

On Wednesday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he was “confident” that Iran would play in the World Cup despite US President Donald Trump’s earlier comments saying “it would not be appropriate” for them to participate.

“The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to the World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” Trump wrote in a social media post last month.

The FIFA chief, who has a close relationship with President Trump, said, “Iran has to come” to the tournament despite the fragile ceasefire nearing its deadline on April 22.

“We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation,” Infantino said of the US-Israeli war on Iran. “As I said, that would definitely help. But Iran has to come. Of course, they represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play.”

Iranian Minister Donyamali has repeatedly linked Iran’s participation with a guarantee for the players’ safety, as well as the ongoing war. He told local media that the FFIRI will set up a training camp for the squad in the event the team is given a go-ahead by the government.

“We have to be ready, but maybe the decision is not to go, and if we are going to go, we have to be ready to have a strong presence,” he said.