Iran won’t be playing overseas soccer this summer.
The country’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali has said that Iran will not take part in the World Cup, due to the current war.
The conflict has now drawn in other Middle East nations, with Iran retaliating by striking US military bases in the region.
The tournament takes place across the US, Canada and Mexico in June and July, but Donyamali has said that there’s ‘no possibility’ Iran will play.
“In view of the malicious measures taken against Iran, two wars were forced upon us within eight or nine months, and several thousand of our people were killed. Therefore, we definitely have no possibility of participating in this way.”
FIFA chief Gianni Infantino claimed that he received assurance from US President Donald Trump that the Iranian team would be “welcome” to compete.
“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States” wrote Infantino on Instagram.
FIFA has not named a replacement for Iran at this time.
