WANA (Jun 03) – The President of the Iranian Football Federation stated that no members of the Iranian Parliament have requested to travel to the upcoming World Cup. Speaking about the visa issuance process for the national team, he cleared up rumors regarding the delegation’s composition and detailed the logistical challenges ahead of the tournament.

 

Visa Breakthroughs and Logistic Hurdles

Regarding the visa process for the national team, the federation president noted that one of the primary concerns was that squad members might be forced to travel to the Mexican Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, for fingerprinting. This would have caused significant disruptions, given the travel difficulties and the training schedule for their friendly match against Mali.

 

Fingerprinting Waived: Following tracking by the Football Federation and cooperation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Iranian Ambassador to Turkey, Mexican authorities agreed to waive the fingerprinting requirement.

 

Squad Visas Approved: Visas have been granted to all coaching staff and federation officials, with only two remaining staff members awaiting a standard inquiry response expected within hours.

 

Media Visas Secured: Mexican visas for journalists have also been successfully issued, ensuring media coverage for the training camp.

 

The team is scheduled to depart for their training camp in Mexico on Saturday, following their match against Mali.

 

The U.S. Visa Issue and FIFA Negotiations

While the Mexican visa situation has been resolved, the federation president emphasized that the main remaining obstacle is securing U.S. visas. He noted that none of the delegation members held valid U.S. visas prior to this.

 

Negotiations were held twice today with FIFA regarding this issue. He stated that the process appears to be moving forward, but officials have requested that the federation wait for an official announcement before sharing specific details.

 

Addressing travel plans between the training camp in Mexico and Los Angeles, he noted that while the driving distance is 3 hours and 20 minutes, the team plans to take a 50-minute flight.

 

He rejected potential host-country restrictions on travel timing, stating that the United States cannot dictate terms or limit its presence to 48 hours per match because the team is a guest of FIFA.

 

No Parliament Members on the Roster

When asked if any lawmakers had requested to join the strictly limited delegation to the World Cup, the federation president strongly denied the rumors.

 

“No member of parliament has requested to attend the World Cup,” he stated. “To suggest otherwise is a form of disrespect to them. In various meetings, the MPs have solely supported the national team and wished for the success of Iranian football.”

 

He added that during sessions held with the Parliament’s Sports Caucus, no requests for delegation spots were ever raised, and there are currently no issues regarding the squad’s official travel roster.

 

Squad Age and Financial Realities

In response to critics who argue that the World Cup roster has a high average age and that youth development should be reserved for the AFC Asian Cup, he explained that the technical staff operates under a specific committee that weighs all perspectives.

 

He expressed high optimism for qualification and noted that the staff is selecting the most prepared and cohesive team, which includes a few targeted young players, two of whom are also tied to the Olympic team’s plans.

 

Addressing the federation’s severe financial constraints, he highlighted the impact of international sanctions:

Blocked Funds: The federation has accumulated revenues held by FIFA, but sanctions have blocked direct access to them for years. FIFA is currently paying for training camps, including the one in Turkey, directly out of these frozen assets.

 

Government Management: He expressed gratitude to the current government for managing the situation despite the country’s economic bottlenecks and broader wartime conditions.

 

Currency Challenges: With all expenses denominated in U.S. dollars and exchange rates rising, foreign currency transactions remain restricted, making logistics difficult even when local currency is available.

 

He concluded by noting that standard preparations are underway, including bringing dedicated chefs to handle catering challenges and negotiating with FIFA for extra accreditation cards for medical staff. While Mexico’s visas are fully resolved, the federation is waiting on FIFA to fulfill its assurance that the U.S. visa issue will be completely settled.