Iranian FA chief Mehdi Taj is demanding the United States respect Iran's military institutions, specifically the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), or risk the team's participation in upcoming World Cup matches scheduled in California and Seattle.
Taj's demand follows Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement that while the Iranian team can compete on U.S. soil, no one affiliated with the IRGC-a U.S.-designated terrorist organization-will be allowed across the border. Taj himself is a former high-ranking IRGC member.
"We are going to the World Cup, for which we qualified, and our host is FIFA - not Mr. Trump or America," Taj said Tuesday. He referenced a recent trip to Canada where his visa was canceled mid-flight, forcing him to leave the country. Canada also designates the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
Taj is seeking a guarantee that U.S. authorities will not "insult the symbols of our system-especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps." A U.S. envoy has reportedly asked FIFA to replace Iran with Italy in the 2026 World Cup, a move that could help mend relations between President Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.