US refusal to issue visas for Iran federation officials illegal

TABNAK, Nov. 30 - Deputy Iranian foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi described the US refusal to issue visas for representatives of the Iranian Football Federation to attend the 2026 World Cup draw ceremony as “illegal”.

News ID: 6983

Date: 30 November 2025 - 22:59

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for International and Legal Affairs noted that he has not been directly involved in following up on the matter, stressing that the host country is obliged to ensure the participation of all teams and their representatives, and that Iran has formally lodged its objection.

He called the Football Federation’s decision to boycott the draw ceremony “the right move”, adding: “When a visa is issued for only one person, it is natural that the individual can decide whether or not to attend the event.”

Criticizing certain countries for exploiting their position as hosts, he described such behavior as “improper and unacceptable”, saying that excluding some countries from sports events by denying visas runs counter to professional and athletic principles, ISNA reported.

Gharibabadi also stressed that Iran will continue its efforts to remove obstacles to the participation of its athletes in international competitions, adding that such actions should not affect the motivation of Iranian athletes. He expressed hope that Iranian representatives will continue to bring pride to the country on global stages.