Iranian FA chief Mehdi Taj has disclosed that FIFA must guarantee safe access and respectful treatment for its delegation, specifically regarding officials linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), amid visa disputes.
Taj made the remarks amid growing diplomatic tensions and uncertainty surrounding travel arrangements for Iranian officials ahead of the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
He said the Iranian national football team qualified for the World Cup and has the right to compete.
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“We need a guarantee there, for our trip, that they have no right to insult the symbols of our system – especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” Taj told state broadcaster IRIB.
“This is something they must pay serious attention to. If there is such a guarantee and the responsibility is clearly assumed, then an incident like what happened in Canada will not happen again.”
Iran’s participation in the World Cup has been in question since the US and Israel launched air strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February.
