Iran’s football federation plans talks with FIFA before May 20 in Zurich over concerns linked to the upcoming World Cup in the United States. Federation president Mehdi Taj confirmed the move on Friday after Iran skipped the FIFA Congress in Vancouver.
Iran stood as the only one of FIFA’s 211 member associations without representation at the Congress. Taj said the federation wants direct discussions with FIFA leadership about tournament arrangements.
The issue follows a travel incident in Canada earlier this week. Taj and his delegation faced questioning by immigration officials in Toronto while travelling to Vancouver. Authorities asked about links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and held the group for around two hours.
Taj said, “We all had visas and were even checked in Turkey. They told us they had questions for you and asked if we were members of the IRGC.”
He added, “We told them that there are 90 million IRGC members in Iran. They said that we don’t allow people from this organisation in. They said that it is the laws of our country.”
Taj said the officials later cleared the delegation to enter Canada, but the group chose to leave. He said, “After a while, they said you can enter but we decided to return. They didn’t deport us and we decided to return ourselves. I told the Canadians that you kept us at the airport for three hours, you made us wait for nothing.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said at the Congress that Iran will play in the United States as scheduled. Iran had asked in March to move its matches to Mexico.
Iran will compete in Group G alongside New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt. The team plans to base itself in Tucson, Arizona, and will play group matches in Inglewood on June 15 and 21 before facing its final group fixture in Seattle on June 26.
