iran world cup: Iran’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said on Wednesday that “under no circumstances” can the national football team participate after airstrikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He told state television that children are not safe and that conditions for participation do not exist. The announcement comes as all of Iran’s group-stage matches are scheduled in U. S. cities and after FIFA’s president received assurances from the U. S. president that Iran would be welcome.
Iran World Cup: minister rules out participation
Ahmad Donyamali spoke on state television and framed the decision as a response to the airstrikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Donyamali said, “Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup, ” and added that “our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist. ” He further cited what he described as malicious actions that have forced two wars over recent months and killed and martyred thousands.
Diplomatic friction, federation doubts and tournament logistics
Government statements followed earlier comments from the head of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, who said the team could not be expected to “look forward to the World Cup with hope” and asked, “Which rational person would send the national team into such a situation?” FIFA president Gianni Infantino met with U. S. President Donald Trump and said the Iranian team would be welcome to compete; Infantino wrote that Trump “reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament. ” Iran were drawn with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, with all of Iran’s Group G matches allocated to U. S. cities including Los Angeles and Seattle.
Casualties, conflict timeline and disciplinary risks
The events that prompted Donyamali’s statement occurred amid an expanded conflict: the U. S. and Israeli attacks on Iran began on February 28 and, in the first 12 days, the conflict killed 1, 255 people and wounded more than 12, 000, a figure cited in official accounts of the fighting. The sports minister’s declaration is the first direct government statement on participation since the military campaign began. Under tournament rules, a unilateral withdrawal would expose Iran to potential disciplinary action and sanctions, a prospect made more acute by public commitments from FIFA leadership that the team is expected to take its place.
Immediate reactions and what
Ahmad Donyamali, Sports Minister of Iran: “Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup. Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist. ”
Mehdi Taj, President of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran: “After this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope. Which rational person would send the national team into such a situation?”
Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA: “President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament. ”
What’s next
As of Wednesday ET, the iran world cup spot remains uncertain as government and federation positions diverge from FIFA’s public stance that Iran is welcome. The coming days should bring clarifications: the sports ministry and the football federation will need to state a formal position on entry and travel, and FIFA will have to decide whether to open disciplinary proceedings if Iran declines to take part. International and tournament authorities are expected to issue further statements and procedural decisions as the situation develops.
