Iran absent from FIFA Vancouver meetings due to visa issues

Iran's soccer federation was absent from a meeting of soccer leaders in Vancouver on Tuesday, leaving the country's participation in the upcoming World Cup still in question.

That topic wasn't covered at the convening of Asia's top soccer leaders today with FIFA president Gianni Infantino presiding, and Iran's sports minister last week announced Iran's plans to be "proud" participants in this summer's World Cup hosted by the United States in North American venues. Yet the Iranian team and its officials still face visa complications, a fact underscored by their absence at Tuesday's meeting.

A report by The Athletic confirmed that Iran's Tuesday absence was due to visa issues, a problem that could prevent their presence at the overall FIFA Congress gathering this Thursday.

AFC general secretary Windsor John expressed some public optimism about Iran's potential attendance at the larger gathering, saying that awards presented to each Asian qualifying country would be presented to Iran "once they arrive."

Iranian officials had previously encountered difficulty acquiring visas to attend the World Cup Draw in Washington D.C. last December. That predated combined American and Israeli attacks on Iran which began in late February, complicating the situation further.

In recent weeks, Iran has lobbied FIFA to move all of its scheduled matches to Mexico, but that request has not been met. Leaders of both Iran and the United States have engaged in hostile rhetoric since, with President Donald Trump posting on social media, "The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don't believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety."

Other U.S. government officials, such as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have been more moderate, assuring the safe passage of athletes, support staff and family, yet stopping short of guaranteeing U.S. entry to anyone beyond that scope, including executives, journalists, and trainers.

"The problem with Iran would be not their athletes, it would be some of the other people they would want to bring with them," Rubio said in public comments last week.

The FIFA president conveyed a tone of tolerance in his remarks Tuesday.

"Now, even more, we have to show the world that we are here and we are united, and we can come together from all over the world in a peaceful environment, that we can unite the world," Infantino said.

Iran is in Group G and is scheduled to play New Zealand (June 15) and Belgium (June 21) in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle (June 26).

--Field Level Media