President Donald Trump gave the Iranian men’s soccer team the green light to compete in the FIFA World Cup this summer, but Tehran is not keen on having a presence at the tournament as the United States continues striking the Islamic Republic.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino relayed Trump’s stance on the matter after the two met on Tuesday. The discussion touched on Iran’s qualification for the World Cup in light of the operation in the Middle East.
“President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino said on Wednesday. “We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World.”
The FIFA chief’s comments came as Iran’s sports minister revealed that his country cannot participate in the worldwide tournament this year due to the conflict.
“Considering that this corrupt regime [referring to the U.S.] has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” Ahmad Donyamali told state television. “Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist.”
“Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people,” he continued. “Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence.”
Separately, the head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, doubted the men’s soccer team would attend the World Cup after the women’s soccer team was granted asylum in Australia this week.
In the Iranian sports official’s view, the female athletes were coerced into defecting to Australia so they could compete in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup this month. Taj worried something similar would happen to the men’s team at the World Cup.
Australia granted asylum to multiple members of the women’s team on Monday after Trump weighed in.
“Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman’s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. The U.S. will take them if you won’t.”
Infantino has had a close personal relationship with Trump since the president’s first term. Their friendly relations were evident last December when Infantino awarded Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. The award was bestowed upon the president after he was snubbed for the Nobel Peace Prize last fall.
TRUMP PRAISES AUSTRALIAN LEADER FOR TAKING IN IRAN’S WOMEN SOCCER PLAYERS
This year’s World Cup will be hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The tournament’s preparation is set against the backdrop of the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Trump has repeatedly said “Operation Epic Fury” will end soon. The military campaign started less than two weeks ago.
