Iranian FA president Medhi Taj has revealed that players are still awaiting visas for the upcoming World Cup, which is set to begin on June 11 in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Thousands of fans gathered in Tehran on Wednesday for a departure rally, but the visa issue remains unresolved.
"Tomorrow or the day after, we will have a decisive meeting with Fifa. They must give us guarantees," Taj told state news agency IRNA. "We have not received any account from the other side regarding who has been granted visas. No visas have been issued yet."
The US is currently at war with Iran, though a month-long ceasefire is in place. This conflict has cast doubt over Iran's participation, but Fifa president Gianni Infantino assured at the recent congress in Vancouver that Iran will play in the US.
Iran is scheduled to face New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, both in Los Angeles, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The team will be based in Tucson, Arizona.
Taj and other Iranian FA officials were previously turned away at the Canadian border. Canada's immigration minister cited Taj's links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for the visa cancellation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that players are welcome, but individuals with IRGC ties may face entry restrictions.
The Iranian FA has submitted a list of ten conditions to Fifa, including guarantees that players, coaches, and officials who completed military service with the IRGC will receive visas.