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Iran drew with Egypt in their final World Cup group game. Alex Livesey – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Iran captain Mehdi Taremi has criticised FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino for their handling of his country’s World Cup campaign.
After a third group stage draw left Iran waiting on other results before they learn whether they have progressed to the round of 32, Taremi described the World Cup’s logistical challenges as a “disaster”.
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Taremi and the rest of his teammates were due to fly out of Seattle and return to Tijuana in Mexico following the game. The team had initially been due to be based in Tucson, Arizona during the tournament, but moved their base camp to Mexico at the end of May as the military conflict between the United States and Iran continued. The war began on February 28 when the U.S. and Israel targeted Iran with military strikes that killed their supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting Iran to launch retaliatory strikes.
The Iran squad and its staff has faced problems getting in and out of the U.S. for matches and Taremi says Infantino has not delivered on his promise to improve the situation.
“It’s a disaster World Cup; a disaster,” Taremi told reporters at full time on Friday. “I mean, FIFA, they have to solve every problem here but unfortunately they could not solve it since the beginning. Mr Infantino came to our changing room after the first game against New Zealand and said, ‘It’s just the beginning…’ but the group stage finishes tomorrow.
“We don’t have our logistic people here — they don’t have a visa. How is it possible we always have to travel from Tijuana? We love the people in Tijuana. We love Mexico. They are humble people and we love them but as a professional player in a professional competition, it’s not right.
“It’s not fair,” he continued. “Our opinion is, it’s not fair. Is it fair for FIFA? OK, good to them. But it’s not fair. Who wants to help us? If they want us to be out, then OK; let’s get out. But that’s not fair. We don’t have recovery or logistic people to help us. We always complain about these things but no one helps, no one.”
In his opening World Cup speech in Mexico City, Infantino said he would have driven a bus from Tehran, Iran’s capital, to get the team to the tournament.
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Taremi, who missed a first half penalty in their draw with Egypt, was asked specifically if he felt Iran were wanted in the competition.
“We have to fight against everything here,” he replied. “I don’t know what people want. As we see it from our perspective, yeah, they like that I think…how possible is it if we play 90 minutes and we have to go back to Tijuana?”
Friday’s draw with Egypt means Iran finished third in Group G, but they will need results to go their way during Saturday’s final round of group games to ensure they qualify for the knockout stages as one of the best third-place sides.
If Algeria and Austria draw in Group J, sending both through, DR Congo beat Uzbekistan and Croatia get at least a point against Ghana, then Iran are out. The Athletic’s live predictor tool gives Iran a 92 per cent chance of reaching the round of 32.
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