Iran Seeks US Visa Ease Ahead of World Cup

Speaking in comments carried by Iranian media on Thursday, Taj said the team expects FIFA to assist in resolving travel arrangements so players can move freely between the United States and Mexico during the tournament.

Iran’s national side, widely known as Team Melli, had originally planned to establish its World Cup training base in Tucson, Arizona. However, officials later shifted preparations to Tijuana, Mexico, to avoid possible visa-related difficulties and simplify travel logistics.

Taj noted that the squad would now remain based in Mexico while preparing for matches scheduled in the United States. Iran are set to play all three Group G fixtures on American soil during the competition.

The team will begin its World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15 before facing Belgium in another Los Angeles fixture. Their final group-stage match against Egypt will take place in Seattle.

Iran’s participation in the tournament had faced uncertainty in recent months due to heightened tensions in the Middle East following the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran earlier this year.

Meanwhile, uncertainty also surrounds the future of star striker Sardar Azmoun, who was left out of the preliminary squad list prepared by the team management.

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Azmoun, one of Iran’s all-time leading scorers, previously played for Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma. He has recently drawn attention for publicly supporting anti-government protests in Iran.

Iranian state media also criticised the forward after a photo surfaced showing him with Dubai’s ruler, where the player currently lives and plays football.

Despite the controversy, an Iranian vice president recently urged football authorities to bring Azmoun back into the national squad ahead of the World Cup.

In a recent Instagram statement, Azmoun described himself as “a son of Iran” and revealed that he had once turned down a lucrative offer from another country.