The US government has softened its stance on the Iranian national team entering the United States before their third World Cup match, allowing the team to come into the country two days before their Friday game against Egypt.
Background
The Iran team will still be required to leave the day the match ends. The overall security measures and protocol are the same. The US government remains committed to providing the safest tournament possible for players, staff, and fans alike.
Iran was initially supposed to make its basecamp in Tucson, Arizona, for the tournament but was forced at the last minute to move its headquarters to Tijuana, Mexico. The war between the US and Iran has forced multiple difficulties on Team Melli, including some members of the team’s traveling delegation not receiving visas to enter the United States.
The Iranians on the field have managed to squeeze out two draws and appear to be on track to qualify for the knockout rounds thanks to FIFA’s expanded tournament. Iran came back twice to earn a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in the opening game and then drew 0-0 with Belgium over the weekend.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
