Overview
- The Iranian Football Federation said on Thursday that captain Mehdi Taremi and assistant coach Saeed Alhoei were detained and questioned at a U.S. airport, a hold-up that delayed the squad’s convoy to Seattle by about 25 minutes.
- A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the team had agreed to strict movement terms, and the White House FIFA Task Force says planned limits were later eased to allow arrivals two days before matches.
- Iran moved its World Cup base from Tucson to Tijuana because of visa and security uncertainty, and coach Amir Ghalenoei said the team was ordered to leave the United States immediately after its opening match.
- Reporting says officials have not disclosed the reason for the June 25 airport questioning, and U.S. authorities have imposed targeted visa denials and at least one boarding refusal for an individual linked to alleged IRGC ties.
- The incidents have disrupted Iran’s match preparations, risk a formal protest to FIFA, and highlight a diplomatic tension between U.S. security measures and tournament governance that could affect the team’s remaining games.