The US Department of Homeland Security responded to statements made by Iran's coach, Amir Ghalenoei, regarding the treatment his national team will receive at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
The Iranian delegation was asked to leave Los Angeles immediately following their 2-2 draw with New Zealand last Monday in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, currently being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
According to the US government, the request for the Iranian national team to leave Los Angeles immediately after the match was a plan put in place from the beginning.
The coach and players of the Iranian national team expressed their strong displeasure at having to return to their training camp in Tijuana, Mexico, late on Monday night, following their 2-2 draw with the New Zealand national team.
Iran's coach, Amir Ghalenoei, said his team had expected to spend the night in California before returning to Tijuana, but were asked to board the plane immediately after the match.
He added: "They didn't even give us time to rest. After the match, they told us: You have to leave immediately. It is very important for us to have time to rest, but we were asked to get on the plane and return to our camp in Tijuana, and this worries us greatly."
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security told CNN that the Iranians had agreed to those conditions.
This is the latest row between Iran and the United States over the World Cup, as the months-long armed conflict between the two countries complicates the events of this huge summer sporting event.
While a framework agreement aimed at ending the conflict is expected to be signed later this week, the Iranian national team faces the unprecedented situation of participating in the World Cup within a country with which it is at war.
This complicated the team's preparations for the tournament, including moving the training camp at the last minute from Tucson, Arizona, USA to Tijuana, Mexico.
For months there was speculation that the Iranian national team would not participate in the World Cup in protest against the war, and the Iranians also demanded that their matches be moved outside of America.
Iran will play its three group stage matches on US soil as scheduled, meeting Belgium in Los Angeles and then Egypt in Seattle.
The team had to endure visa problems, as members of their delegation were not allowed to enter the United States to attend their matches, the Iranian ticket quota was cancelled by FIFA, and many Iranian fans who might have hoped to travel to the United States for the matches were banned from traveling.
While the US government says the plan was probably always for the Iranians to return to Tijuana immediately after the game, the team itself seems to have been surprised by the decision.
Amir Kalinouy said: "Honestly, we don't know why we were sent back. I think it's very strange. It seems that others are planning for us. Decisions are being made on our behalf. We were supposed to arrive two nights before the match, stay tonight to rest, and return tomorrow at noon. We have no idea why."
He continued: "I think our team is probably the most persecuted in the World Cup."
