Iranian national team granted visas to play World Cup matches in the USA

(Patria) - Members of the Iranian national football team for the World Cup have been granted visas to the United States, two US officials said on Friday, AP reported.

The team's participation in the World Cup has been complicated by the war between Israel and the United States against Iran. Visa processing issues earlier prompted Iran to move its training base from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana, on the Mexico-California border.

One US official said all players on the Iranian team had been granted visas and that they were in the process of being issued. Another official said visas had been issued for players, coaches, and some support staff. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The second official could not say whether any Iranian applicant had been denied. It was not immediately clear when the passports of the Iranian team players would be returned to allow them to travel, but the official said it could be as early as Friday or Saturday.

The team had been preparing for the World Cup at a training camp in Antalya, Turkey before heading to Tijuana. The team said it had already obtained visas from the Mexican embassy in Ankara.

US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack thanked the US embassy in Ankara for processing visas for the Iranian team. "Sports transcend borders, and we look forward to welcoming competitors and fans from around the world," Barrack wrote in a social media post on Friday.

Iran plays two matches in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium six days later, then heads to Seattle, where it will face Egypt on June 26. Iran and the US could meet in the round of 16 on July 3 in Arlington, Texas, if they finish second in their groups.

President Donald Trump in March discouraged Iran from participating in the tournament, saying he did not think it was "appropriate" and expressing concern for the "life and safety of the players." A day later, the Iranian team pushed back, saying "no one can exclude them" from the game.

Iran finalized its team on Monday, including seventeen domestic players whose clubs have not played since February due to the war.

Iran's sports minister said in March that it would "not be possible" for the team to participate in the World Cup, but the football federation said in May they were going.

The federation insisted that all players and staff be issued visas, including those who served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.