Iran criticizes US for visa treatment ahead of World Cup

Iran has sharply criticized World Cup host the United States for what its embassy in Turkey called "discriminatory treatment." According to the embassy, several members of the Iranian delegation have not received visas for the final tournament. The embassy stated this on Saturday, according to AFP news agency. Iranian state television later reported that the U.S. had denied visas to 15 members of the Iranian delegation. "Visas have been issued for the national team and the technical staff, but there are 15 members from the administration and management, whose visa conditions are problematic and who have not been issued visas by the United States," said a reporter for state television from the Turkish city of Antalya, where the team is on training camp, according to AFP. On Friday, Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, said the players had received visas and praised the U.S. embassy for its "work in processing visas for Iran's national football team." However, according to Iran's embassy in Turkey, several people associated with the team have not received visas. "Why don't you tell us that visas were denied to a large part of the administrative and management staff, technical advisors, and other people who are an integral part of any football national team?" the embassy in Turkey wrote on Saturday, according to AFP on X. "You have now escalated the deliberate and discriminatory treatment of Iran's national football team to the highest level," the post continued. The U.S. military, along with Israel, launched attacks against Iran on February 28, triggering a war between the countries. Iran's national football team is scheduled to have a training camp in Mexico during the tournament, which begins June 11, but all of the team's matches will be played in the United States. The first two matches are against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21. Afterward, there is a match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. Canada and Mexico are also hosts for the tournament, which runs until July 19.

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Why don't you tell us that visas were denied to a large part of the administrative and management staff, technical advisors, and other people who are an integral part of any football national team?