As the U.S. and Iran continue negotiations to end the more than two-month war, the Iranian Football Association has clearly expressed its willingness to participate in the ” 2026 FIFA World Cup Canada, Mexico, USA,” which will open in June.
According to AFP’s report, the Iranian Football Association, which once again announced its intention to participate in the World Cup, also argued that visas should be issued to players who have completed military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
It is one of the 10 conditions set forth by Mehdi Taz, president of the Iranian Football Association, along with national flags and respect for the country.
Taz was planning to visit Toronto on June 30 to attend the FIFA General Assembly, but was denied entry due to his service history with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). As a result, he was the only one among 211 FIFA members who failed to attend the General Assembly.
Not only Canada but also the U.S. is in the same position. While allowing Iranian players to participate in the North-China World Cup, he said, “I will not be allowed to participate with IRGC officials.”
Mehdi Taremi (Olympiacos), a striker and captain of the Iranian national team, has completed mandatory military service at the IRGC. Under the current circumstances, Iran cannot participate in the North-China World Cup.
Iran, which passed the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup, will play Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in Group G in the finals, and will play in all three group matches in the U.S. If the U.S. (Group D) and Iran advance to the round of 32 as the second-ranked teams in each group, they will have a showdown in Dallas.
Meanwhile, when Iran’s official response to the U.S. proposal for the end of the war did not come out, U.S. President Donald Trump uploaded a series of AI images of Iran’s naval power devastated on social media on the 9th. It seems to be one of President Trump’s unique pressure strategies, feeling impatient as negotiations did not progress.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned on the same day that “any attack on Iranian oil tankers and merchant ships will lead to strong retaliation against US bases and enemy ships in the region.”
SAM KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
