Iran’s football team lacks US visas and is not competing on equal terms in the World Cup. Tehran’s envoy to Mexico said the team has difficulty training as planned because the United States has not fulfilled its responsibility to host the Iranian squad. The team relocated its training camp to Tijuana, Mexico, after plans to base in Tucson, Arizona. The envoy said it is unclear whether visas will be granted to players, and that the team has not been able to train properly. Iran’s group matches are scheduled in Los Angeles and Seattle against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt.
"Iran's football team still lacks US visas and is not competing in the World Cup on equal terms because of its difficulty in training ahead of the tournament, Tehran's ambassador to Mexico said on Thursday. Abolfazl Pasandideh visited the northwestern Mexican border city of Tijuana, where Iranians have relocated their training camp. They were originally planned to be based in Tucson in the US state of Arizona."
"The ambassador told a news conference that the country to the north meaning the United States had not followed through on its responsibility of hosting the Iranian team. We don't know whether or not they're going to give the players their visas, he added. Iran will play their three World Cup group games in two West Coast US cities: Los Angeles and Seattle."
"We aren't participating in the World Cup on equal terms, Pasandideh said. We haven't been able to train our team like they should, he said, because of the US-Israel war on his country that began on February 28. On Wednesday, Iranian diplomats visited the stadium where the team is training, a source from Club Tijuana that plays there told the news agency AFP."
"The diplomats also met with local security officials, the source said. Iran are due to play in Los Angeles on June 15 against New Zealand, and on June 21, against Belgium. They then play in Seattle against Egypt on June 26."
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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