Iran team will be able to enter the USA one day before the World Cup games

The Iranian national soccer team, which is currently training in Tijuana, Mexico, will be allowed to enter the United States on the eve of each of its three World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Tuesday.

Over the weekend, reports credited the Iranian ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, with informing him that the Iranian team would have to enter and leave the US on the same day they played, raising questions about logistics and whether this would affect the team's performance.

According to a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, this would not be the case.

"These statements are false," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Thanks to the generosity of President (Donald) Trump, the Iranian team will be able to arrive the day before the matches."

In an interview with Reuters through an interpreter on Monday in Tijuana, the ambassador criticized US authorities for denying visas to some Iranian soccer federation officials, but said those granted did not prevent them from staying overnight.

"Their visas don't specify anything about needing to leave at a certain time," he said.

After weeks of uncertainty, the US granted visas to all players on Friday, just 10 days before their first match.

But several members of the Iranian delegation did not receive visas, including "key members of the technical and administrative committee", according to the Iranian football federation. They include the team manager, two analysts, the media director and a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to the Iranian embassy in Mexico.

Iran is scheduled to face New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15th, Belgium on June 21st also in Los Angeles, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26th. The training was originally scheduled to take place in Arizona, but this was changed after the US and Israel started a war against Iran in February.

Trump said in March that Iran was welcome to participate in the World Cup, but he did not believe it was appropriate for the Iranian team to remain in the United States "for their own life and safety."

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

Source: CNN