Iran’s World Cup Team Granted US Visas Amid War: ‘Sports Transcends Borders’
Despite an ongoing war and a fragile ceasefire, the United States has granted visas to Iran’s national football squad to enter the country for the FIFA World Cup.
The confirmation:
US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack confirmed the development Friday, praising his team in Ankara for processing the visas.
“Sports transcends borders, and we look forward to welcoming competitors and fans from around the world,” Barrack said.
A State Department official separately confirmed the issuance but added a warning: “We will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretenses.”
The logistics:
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Iran will fly from Turkey to Spain on Saturday
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Then on to their base camp in Mexico (arriving Sunday)
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All three group stage matches are in the United States
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Iran originally planned to base in the US but switched due to war tensions
The backdrop:
The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28. A shaky truce is currently in place, but the war continues.
The bottom line:
On the battlefield, they fight. On the pitch, they play. The World Cup, for 90 minutes at least, transcends the war.
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