Iran's national football team will be allowed to enter the United States only on the days of its World Cup matches and must leave the country the same day due to US visa restrictions, according to Iran's ambassador, reports UNB.
Speaking to media, Ambassador Abolfazl Pasandideh said, "We can enter in the morning and we must leave the same day," citing restrictions imposed on Iranian travelers.
The envoy's remarks come as Iran has shifted its World Cup preparations to Mexico, abandoning earlier plans to train in Tucson amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel.
Iran is scheduled to play three group-stage matches in the United States during the World Cup, including two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle, Washington.
Tensions in the region intensified after the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran in late February, setting off a series of retaliatory attacks and contributing to broader instability across the Middle East.
In response, Iran carried out strikes against Israel and targeted countries hosting US military bases. It also disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important route for global energy supplies.
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