Iran’s sports minister said on Wednesday his nation will not participate in this summer’s Fifa World Cup because the United States killed the country’s leader and continues to wage war against the oil-rich nation – and now the question is who can replace them.
The US-Israeli bombing campaign, which began two weeks ago, has sparked conflict across the region and killed more than 1,300 Iranians, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“Considering that this corrupt administration has killed our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said on national television on Wednesday.
“Our players are insecure, and the terms of participation are basically non-existent.”
Donyamali’s statement came a few hours after Fifa president Gianni Infantino said he had received an assurance from US President Donald Trump that Iran would be allowed to participate in the tournament to be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino wrote in an Instagram post. “We need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support.”
