The United States has denied visas to “a large portion” of the support staff for the Iranian national soccer team just days before the World Cup, the Iranian Embassy in Turkey said Saturday.
The embassy’s account on X posting, “Why do you not say that visas were denied to a large portion of the managerial and executive staff, technical advisers, and others who are an integral part of any national football team?” replying to the post from the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack.
“By extending your whimsical hostilities against the Iranian nation into the realm of sport, the U.S. government in practice is depriving Iran’s national team of its right to play in the World Cup under normal conditions and without undue pressure and stress,” the post says.
Ambassador Barrack’s post praised the work of the staff of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara for processing the visas for the Iranian team.
“You cannot whitewash conduct that violates FIFA regulations and breaches the United States’ host obligations merely by praising yourselves,” the Iranian post said.
The team is scheduled to arrive in Tijuana, Mexico, on Sunday.
Iran takes on New Zealand on Monday, June 15, in Los Angeles.
-ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge
