Kamal Ghorui
FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Tuesday said that Iran will take part in the upcoming World Cup despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.“Iran will be at the World Cup… That’s why we’re here. We’re delighted because they’re a very, very strong team, I’m very happy,” Infantino said at half-time during Iran’s friendly against Costa Rica in Turkey, as cited by news agency AFP.Infantino went on to stress that Iran’s “matches will be played where they are supposed to be, according to the draw”.Earlier, in an interview with N+, the FIFA president had said, “Iran represents its people, those who live in Iran and those who live abroad. They qualified for this World Cup on the field; they were a team that qualified very early. It’‘No Plan B, C or D’:s a football-mad country. We want them to play; they will play in the World Cup, and there are no plans B, C, or D; it’s plan A. We live in the real world and we know what the situation is, which is very complicated, but we are working and we are going to make sure that Iran plays this World Cup in the best conditions.“The Iranian Football Federation had earlier said it is “negotiating” with FIFA to shift its World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico due to the war involving the US and Israel with Iran.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also said Mexico is ready to host Iran’s first-round matches if needed.The World Cup, to be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, will begin on June 11. Iran are scheduled to play their first Group G match against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.Infantino had earlier said that Donald Trump assured that Iran’s team would be allowed to participate. The team is set to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, followed by Egypt in Seattle.However, Trump later said Iran’s team should not travel to the tournament “for their own life and safety”.Iran responded to this by saying, “no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup”.Infantino attended Tuesday’s match near Antalya, although his visit was not announced in advance and media were kept away from the area where he was seated.Iran had also played a friendly against Nigeria in Belek last Friday. During that match, players wore black armbands and carried school bags during the national anthem to remember those killed in a strike on a primary school in Iran on the first day of the war.The airstrike, which took place in the southern city of Minab on February 28, killed at least 170 people, including students and teachers.
