KATHMANDU: US President Donald Trump has said that Iran is “welcome” to compete in the upcoming FIFA World Cup in North America despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East, according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The remarks come amid uncertainty surrounding Iran’s participation in the tournament following a war triggered by US-Israeli strikes on February 28.
In a post on Instagram, Infantino said the issue was discussed during a meeting with Trump regarding preparations for the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino wrote.
The comments mark the first time Infantino has publicly acknowledged the ongoing conflict involving Iran since tensions escalated in the region.
Trump’s remarks appear to contrast with comments he made to Politico last week when he said he did not particularly care whether Iran participates in the tournament.
Infantino, who created a FIFA peace prize in December and awarded it to Trump, has developed closer ties with the US president since his return to the White House and even attended his inauguration.
Iran football chief raises concerns
Meanwhile, Mehdi Taj, head of the Iranian football federation, on Tuesday questioned whether the national team should participate in the tournament amid the ongoing situation.
Speaking on Iranian state television, Taj said, “If the World Cup is like this, who in their right mind would send their national team to a place like this?”
Although the tournament will be held across three countries, Iran is currently scheduled to play all three of its group-stage matches in the United States—two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
If Iran withdraws from the tournament, it would mark the first time a country has pulled out of the World Cup since France and India withdrew from the 1950 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil.
Iranian players seek asylum in Australia
The issue has been further complicated by developments during the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia.
Several members of Iran’s women’s national football team reportedly sought asylum after coming under criticism from state television for not singing the national anthem before a match.
Five players, including captain Zahra Ghanbari, reportedly left the team hotel at night and requested protection from Australian authorities, according to the Australian government.
Later reports indicated that at least two more team members had applied to remain in Australia.
However, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told parliament on Wednesday that one of the players later decided not to proceed with the asylum request after speaking with teammates.
Burke said the player had been encouraged to contact the Iranian embassy, which subsequently learned the location of the group. Authorities later relocated the remaining players from a safe house to another undisclosed location, he added.
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