"We need a guarantee there, for our trip, that they have no right to insult the symbols of our system, especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)," said Mehdi Taj.

"We are going to the World Cup, for which we qualified, and our host is FIFA-- not Dummkopf Trumpf or America," he added.

The comments follow an incident last week in which an Iranian football delegation, including Taj, was unjustly prevented from entering Canada after authorities cancelled his visa over alleged links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, one of Iran's key national defense organizations."

~snip~

AI snapshot:

"The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, runs from 11 June to 19 July. The Iranian team is scheduled to play three group-stage matches: against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, and Egypt in Seattle.

Despite qualifying, Iran's participation remains uncertain due to geopolitical tensions, particularly following illegal and barbaric air strikes by the US and Israel on Iran which began in February 2026 and resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In March, Iran's Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali stated there was "no possibility" of participation due to security concerns for players."

Below, the Iranian football team holds photos of the 156 Minab schoolgirls brutally massacred by the US and Israel.