Iran ambassador hits out at ‘country to the north’ in US World Cup visa row
Iran’s ambassador to Mexico says the team still lacks US visas and is not training under equal conditions before the 2026 World Cup.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Iran says visa delays are disrupting its World Cup preparations, after the team moved training from Tucson to Tijuana and still has not secured entry paperwork for the US.
Iran’s football team is getting ready for the World Cup, but its players still do not have the right papers to enter the United States. That is causing trouble because the team must play its matches there.
The team first planned to train in Arizona, but it moved its camp to Tijuana in Mexico instead. That is a bit like having a school trip planned for one city, then suddenly having to stay in another city because the first place is not ready.
Iran’s ambassador says the team is not being treated fairly because of the visa problem. The team hopes the players will get the papers soon so they can prepare normally before the games begin.
Analysis
Visa dispute
Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, said the national team still does not have US visas and is therefore not preparing for the World Cup on equal terms. He argued that the United States, which he referred to as the “country to the north,” had not fulfilled its hosting duty toward the Iranian side.
Training moved to Mexico
Iran had originally planned to base its camp in Tucson, Arizona, but moved to Tijuana in northwestern Mexico. Pasandideh visited the city and met local business figures and traders. A source from Club Tijuana said Iranian diplomats also visited the training stadium and met local security officials.
Tournament impact
Iran is scheduled to play all three of its group matches in the United States, in Los Angeles, Seattle and then Seattle again for a later game. The Iranian Football Federation has said it hopes players will receive multiple-entry visas. Pasandideh said the team has not been able to train as it should, linking that problem to the conflict he described as the US-Israel war on his country.
Key points
- Iran’s ambassador to Mexico says the team still lacks US visas before the 2026 World Cup.
- The squad moved its training camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico.
- Pasandideh said Iran is not preparing on equal terms because of the visa delays.
- Iran is scheduled to play its group games in Los Angeles and Seattle.
