Iran’s preparations for the World Cup have “descended into chaos amid claims they can only enter the US on the day of their actual matches while ‘integral’ members of their coaching staff have been denied visas.” Iran’s Ambassador to Mexico Abolfazl Pasandideh said that the team’s access to the U.S. “has been limited to just the day of their group games” in L.A. and Seattle, with the “expectation that they will return immediately to Mexico.” However, teams at the World Cup are “expected to travel the day before each match” to attend a press conference at the match stadium. A U.S. government statement said that “visas had been issued to all players and ‘necessary support staff,’” but Iran would “not be allowed to ‘abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences.’” Iran’s embassy in Turkey “complained of ‘politically biased interference in sport’ by denying visas to a ‘large portion of the managerial and executive staff’ and ‘technical advisers’” (London TIMES, 6/6).
Pasandideh on Saturday at a news conference in Tijuana, where Iran has relocated its training base, said that “about 15 members of the 70-person Iranian delegation had not received visas.” Baja California state officials have “outlined a plan to provide security to the team and visitors as part of a nationwide operation that had already been underway, since Mexico is one of the host countries” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 6/6).