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An Iranian nationalist shot squad player’s United States visa has expired, authorities media reported Tuesday, leaving his aboriginal astatine the World Cup shrouded successful uncertainty with Tehran engulfed successful a bitter diplomatic enactment with Washington.
Winger Mehdi Torabi was lone issued a single-entry visa alternatively of the multiple-entry visa fixed to different Iranian nationalist squad players to instrumentality portion successful the planetary spectacle, where Team Melli earned a 2-2 gully with New Zealand successful their opening match connected Monday (June 15, 2026).
“Following the nationalist team’s travel to Los Angeles for the lucifer against New Zealand and the decision of that game, Torabi’s visa has present expired,” authorities quality bureau IRNA reported.
The Iranian Football Federation “has taken steps to get a caller visa for Torabi, truthful that helium tin travel the nationalist squad successful its upcoming matches”, it added.
The bureau did not disclose if Torabi successfully departed the US but said “all members of the nationalist squad are connected committee the aircraft” that was leaving the United States for Mexico aft the match.
The United States and tourney organisers did not instantly comment.
The study comes aft a bid of visa-related issues affecting Iran’s delegation during the Middle East warfare betwixt the US and Iran.
The 2 nations person agreed a model to extremity the conflict, but Iran had already moved its basal to Mexico implicit information concerns and is having to question successful and retired of the US for the team’s group-stage games.
Iranian officials antecedently said astir 15 members of the delegation were denied US visas.
IRNA besides said successful a abstracted study that Iranian skipper Mehdi Taremi and a unit subordinate faced difficulties astatine Los Angeles airdrome aft the team’s gully with New Zealand upon their departure.
Iran play Belgium successful their 2nd Group G lucifer connected Sunday successful Los Angeles earlier facing Egypt connected June 26 successful Seattle.
