Among the demands published in a statement on Saturday are guarantees that all players, coaches and officials travelling with the team will receive visas, including those who completed military service with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).<\/p>\n
The group is listed as a terrorist organisation in Canada and the US, and Mehdi Taj’s links to it were cited as a reason he was denied entry into Canada.<\/p>\n
Iran is also seeking assurances over the treatment of the national team, including respect for the Iranian flag and national anthem, as well as enhanced security at airports, hotels and stadiums during the tournament. <\/p>\n
Some of the requests are likely to prove easier for Fifa to influence than others.<\/p>\n
Fifa can help oversee tournament logistics, official protocols and the treatment of participating delegations during the competition itself. <\/p>\n
But questions involving visas, border controls and security vetting ultimately remain under US jurisdiction rather than Fifa regulations.<\/p>\n
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already stated that Iranian footballers would be welcome at the tournament, while warning that individuals with links to the IRGC could still face restrictions on entering the United States. <\/p>\n
That leaves Fifa facing a delicate balancing act between ensuring the participation of all qualified teams and navigating the political realities surrounding relations between Tehran and Washington.<\/p>\n
Israel and the US launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran on 28 February. Iran responded by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf. Fighting has since been largely suspended under a fragile ceasefire.<\/p>\n
Some of the Iranian federation’s other requests may also prove difficult to enforce in practice. <\/p>\n
Iranian officials have reportedly asked for journalists to avoid questions beyond “technical football matters”. <\/p>\n
But in Iran’s case, the boundary between football and politics is often blurred.<\/p>\n
Questions around squad selection, public support for the national team or the atmosphere surrounding matches can carry both sporting and political dimensions simultaneously.<\/p>\n