The United States’ homeland security secretary has said he “danced a happy dance” when Iran were eliminated from the World Cup, while defending the way the team was treated during the tournament.
Iran missed out on progressing from the group stage on goal difference after a stoppage-time winner against Egypt was disallowed for a marginal offside call. Their elimination was confirmed on 29 June, when Algeria and Austria played out a dramatic 3-3 draw that closed off Iran’s route through as one of the best third-placed sides.
Coach Amir Ghalenoei said his side had been the most oppressed team at the tournament, against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran, the US and Israel. Iran’s training base was switched from Arizona to Tijuana in Mexico before the World Cup began, and the squad faced strict travel restrictions throughout, only able to enter the US the day before their opening two matches and required to leave again on the same day as each game. Those restrictions were eased slightly for their final group match in Seattle, allowing the squad to arrive two days early, though they were sent back to Tijuana immediately after Saturday’s draw with Egypt.
Speaking to reporters on 30 June, Department of Homeland Security secretary Markwayne Mullin made little attempt to hide his satisfaction at Iran’s exit. “I’m just glad they’re done, and they’re not coming back,” he said. “I was so happy when we were able to pull their visas and said they could leave the US soil, and I might’ve sung a song or two or maybe even danced a happy dance.” He added that no other team had required more dealing with than Iran’s during the tournament.
His comments, made at a World Cup briefing held at the government’s Special Event Coordination Centre, drew an angry response from Iran. The Iran Football Federation had already lodged a formal complaint with FIFA, arguing the team was being unfairly penalised because of the military conflict between the two countries. Striker Mehdi Taremi had earlier questioned why football’s governing body had failed to intervene, pointing to the sporting disadvantages created by the restrictions, and suggested some within the World Cup setup did not want Iran to advance beyond the group stage.
Responding to Mullin’s remarks, the federation said Iranians were used to mistreatment and dishonesty from US officials, so nobody back home was surprised by the comments. It added that openly celebrating a team’s elimination reflected more on Mullin’s own pettiness than on Iran’s players, and that such language showed little regard for international law or the standards expected of a World Cup host. The federation also referenced comments made by Ghalenoei after the team’s match against New Zealand, in which the coach suggested the US did not want Iran to remain in the tournament because of how the squad had been treated, adding that Mullin’s remarks only reinforced that belief.
Taremi said the tension surrounding the squad’s circumstances had taken away from the enjoyment of competing at a World Cup, adding that he had felt it from the moment the team arrived in the country.
