WANA (Apr 21) – Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth has stressed that any decision regarding the country’s national football team and its participation in the FIFA World Cup will be made strictly within a legal framework and in line with national conditions.

 

Speaking about Iran’s current position, Donyamali stated that the country possesses “significant spiritual and military strength,” emphasizing that such factors play a role in major national decisions, including participation in international sporting events. He noted that a special task force has been formed to assess the situation surrounding Iran’s national team, with meetings ongoing.

 

He added that “our responsibility is to fulfill our legal obligations and maintain the team’s readiness,” while clarifying that the final decision on Iran’s participation in the World Cup will depend on national conditions and the ruling of the Supreme National Security Council. According to him, if Iran ultimately participates, the team will compete at full strength.

 

The minister also revealed plans for an overseas training camp for Iran’s national team within the next three weeks, stressing that the camp—and any participation in international competitions—depends on guarantees for player safety. Without such assurances, a different course of action may be taken.

 

Donyamali further criticized the current hosting conditions, suggesting that if any country other than the United States had engaged in “hostile actions,” it would likely have faced consequences such as losing hosting rights for major events like the World Cup or the Olympics. Nevertheless, he reiterated that Iran’s priority remains participation, followed by strengthening its presence and performance in Asian and global competitions.

 

Addressing broader sports programs in Iran, he noted that training camps continued even under difficult circumstances and that efforts are now focused on compensating for setbacks. He highlighted the Asian Games in Nagoya and the Youth Olympics in Senegal as key upcoming events for Iran’s athletes.

 

Overall, the minister’s remarks indicate that while preparations for Iran’s national football team are ongoing, the final decision regarding World Cup participation will ultimately depend on high-level national security considerations—an outcome that could shape the future of Iranian football on the international stage.