Iranian national football team's return to their Tijuana training camp after their World Cup opening match was delayed as captain Mehdi Taremi and assistant coach Saeed Alhoei were held up by airport authorities in Los Angeles.
Their departure delays were similar to their initial entry into the US, forcing the rest of the team to board without them, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday.
Taremi said the restrictions were preventing them from playing their best at the tournament.
"It's not good for us. I think it's not good for football," he said. "I think Fifa have to help us more than this."
Iranian coach Amir Ghalenoei said on Monday his team were being “oppressed” due to last-minute travel changes, adding the disruption had affected their performance after a 2‑2 draw with New Zealand.
