INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei says that although his team is still being treated unfairly by the host U.S. at the World Cup through travel restrictions and visa refusals, he is optimistic FIFA will persuade the Americans to lessen some of those strictures next week.
“I am very glad that the Iranian nation is behind us,” Ghalenoei said through an interpreter. “Our martyrs in Iran, we play for them. But I know that this kind of behavior has hurt our people. Even if we spent billions of dollars, we would not be able to have justice for our people. It just shows we are an oppressed country. But nevertheless, I hope we achieve peace, and I hope this kind of behavior does not become institutionalized in the World Cup.”