A leading football official in Asia says Iran is still set to play at the World Cup which kicks off in June in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Also on Monday in Tehran, a government spokesman again stressed it was for FIFA to explain why US President Donald Trump suggested last week Iran players' “life and safety” could be at risk by playing at the World Cup.
In a social media post last week in reaction to comments from Trump, Iran’s football team said “no one can exclude” it from the global tournament where it should be a strong contender to advance to the knockout rounds.
On Monday, Asian Football Confederation general secretary Windsor John said it had heard nothing to suggest Iran won't contest the World Cup.
“They are our member. We want them to play,” he told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur, where the AFC is based. “As far as we know, Iran is playing.
“It's a very emotional moment, everybody is saying a lot of things. At the end of the day it’s the (Iran football) federation who should decide if they’re playing and, as for today, the federation … has told us that they're going to the World Cup.”
Trump posted on social media that the Iran team was welcome at the World Cup despite the ongoing war with Iran but that “I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.” It followed Trump's previous comment that “I really don’t care” if Iran plays.
No team in the past 75 years has refused a World Cup qualifying place it earned on the field.
Iran is set to play all three of its World Cup group games in the US, twice in Inglewood, California and then in Seattle.
The regional war has put doubt on Iran’s ability to fulfil its World Cup entry, and sports minister Ahmad Donyamali told state TV last week that the current circumstances meant it was not possible to play.
But the Iran team’s riposte on Instagram confirmed it still wants to participate, and pointed out that the tournament is run by FIFA, not Trump or the US.
Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that “FIFA must respond” to the doubt cast by Trump.
“FIFA is the organizer of the World Cup," Baghaei said. "When warnings are issued at the highest level about the environment being unsafe for Iranian football players, this indicates that the host country apparently lacks the capacity and ability to provide security for such an important sporting event.”
FIFA has not commented in recent days beyond an Instagram post by President Gianni Infantino after meeting Trump at the White House last Tuesday. Infantino wrote that he got assurances Iran was welcome.
Iran is scheduled to against New Zealand on June 16 and Belgium on June 21, before finishing group play in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.
Iran is a power in Asian football, ranked No. 20 in the world by FIFA and has qualified for its fourth straight World Cup.
Before the World Cup, Iranian football officials are due to attend FIFA’s annual congress on April 30 in Vancouver. The Iranian federation was unable to attend meetings in Atlanta this month to help teams prepare for the 48-nation tournament.
