TEHRAN: The Iran Football Federation is accusing the United States of “vindictive behavior” regarding the refusal of visas for managerial and administrative members of its World Cup traveling party.
IFF said 14 officials and staffers have been refused visas prior to upcoming matches in Inglewood, California, and Seattle. The list includes the federation’s vice president Mehdi Mohammad Nabi and secretary-general Hedayat Mombeini.
It wasn’t immediately known whether federation president Mehdi Taj was issued a visa.
Tensions have been high between the United States and Iran since the war in Iran broke out in February.
The feud led to Iran moving its training camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico. The latter city is just across the US border from San Diego.
