Iran raises its tone against FIFA and asks for respect before World Cup debut

Just a few days before the World Cup debut, the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) formally demanded that FIFA guarantee respect for official protocols and its national symbols during the tournament.

The positioning takes place amidst a scenario of strong geopolitical and logistical tension. After the United States government denied visas to members of the coaching staff, the Iranian team had to transfer its preparation base from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico.

In addition, the climate of instability in the Middle East region raised doubts about the country's participation in the World Cup. During an activity on Mexican soil, the president of FFIRI, Mehdi Taj, reinforced the charge based on the regulations of football's highest entity.

"FIFA is responsible, according to the protocols", declared Taj in an interview with the AFP news agency. "The official flag of a country must be present in the stadium", he added.

Iran debuts this Monday (15), at 10pm (Brasília time), against New Zealand, in Los Angeles - the North American city that is home to the largest community of Iranian exiles in the world.

Organizations opposing the Tehran regime plan protests around and inside the stadium, including the use of the flag prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution and booing of the national anthem, repeating what happened at the Qatar World Cup in 2022.

FIFA regulations prohibit demonstrations
Although FIFA regulations prohibit political demonstrations in arenas, the history of variable application of these rules creates uncertainty. In response, Iran's Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said the government would monitor public behavior and did not rule out strict measures if acts deemed hostile occur.

Faced with the impasse, the leadership of Iranian football awaits definitions from the organizing entity. "We managed to resolve some problems, while others remain outstanding", concluded Mehdi Taj.

Iranian players receive US visas to play in the World Cup, says White House

Source: CNN