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Iran travel from Mexico for their games in the U.S. Harry How/Getty Images
The Iran soccer federation (FFIRI) says it intends to lodge an official complaint with FIFA regarding its World Cup travel arrangements between its base camp in Mexico and games in the United States.
In a statement, the FFIRI accused FIFA of having an “inconsistent” approach to providing “equal conditions for all participating teams,” before their second game in Group G game in Los Angeles against Belgium on June 21.
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In order to achieve optimum preparation for matches, “the team needed to arrive in each city two days before every match and return to its base camp the day after,” the statement said.
The FFIRI said that request wasn’t granted ahead of its opening match against New Zealand, which Iran drew 2-2, with players and staff required to return to the team’s Mexico base camp immediately after the final whistle.
“The same situation has been repeated ahead of Iran’s second match against Belgium,” the statement continued. “As a result, the national team will only be permitted to travel to Los Angeles one day before the match.
“Consequently, the federation will formally express its dissatisfaction and lodge an official complaint with FIFA.”
The Athletic has contacted FIFA for comment.
Iran are based in Tijuana, Mexico, for the tournament after announcing the relocation from their planned base in Arizona on May 25. That followed the ongoing military conflict between the U.S. and Iran which began on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched joint military strikes, triggering retaliatory action from Iran.
All three of Iran’s group games are based in the U.S., playing their first two in Los Angeles and their third in Seattle. No matter where they finish in Group G, they will play in either the U.S. or Canada should they progress to the knockout stages, and will not play a match in Mexico, given the bracket to the final.
The statement comes following criticism of Iran’s travel arrangements directed at FIFA by head coach Amir Ghalenoei following his team’s draw with New Zealand.
“Our team is the most oppressed one in the whole World Cup,” Ghalenoei told reporters, through an interpreter. “Our president isn’t here, our media isn’t here, many of our management team isn’t here”.
An FFIRI official told The Athletic on Sunday that 11 staff members had been denied entry into the U.S. ahead of the New Zealand match.
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Striker Mehdi Taremi told the media “everything is like a disaster for us,” as he and goalscorer Mohammad Mohebbi said that the team were unable to do a recovery session in LA the day after the game, but were told they could not.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited Iran’s dressing room after the match, telling them “I know what you go through… but you are stronger than everything, and you send a strong message to the entire world.”
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