"During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States. We all need an event like the Fifa World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the president of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that football unites the world."
"Iran are scheduled to play three matches in the US, but their participation has been in doubt since the US and Israel launched strikes on the country this month, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones towards Israel and four Gulf Arab countries which host US military bases - Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates."
"Following the outbreak of military action, Iran football federation president Mehdi Taj has been quoted as saying: What is certain is that after these attacks, it's hard to look at the World Cup with hope."
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that US President Donald Trump confirmed Iran is welcome to participate in the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico beginning June 11. This confirmation comes amid escalating military tensions, as the US and Israel recently launched strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting Iran's retaliatory missile and drone attacks toward Israel and Gulf Arab nations. Iran is scheduled to play three matches in the US against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt. Infantino emphasized that the World Cup serves as a unifying global event. However, Iran's football federation president expressed difficulty viewing the tournament with hope following the military attacks. Australia has granted humanitarian visas to members of Iran's women's team citing safety concerns.
Read at www.bbc.com
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