UPDATE (12:11 p.m., March 12):
President Trump weighed in on the Iran team playing in the World Cup on his Truth Social account:
“The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s sports and youth minister said that the country is in no position to take part in the World Cup after the United States killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in its ongoing war.
Iran was expected to take part in the World Cup that will be held across North America in June, but Iranian Sports and Youth Minister Ahmad Donyamali told state television that his country’s soccer team players are not safe in the U.S., according to a video of the interview posted Tuesday.
“Due to the wicked acts they have done against Iran — they have imposed two wars on us over just eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people – definitely it’s not possible for us to take part in the World Cup” Donyamali said.
The Iran National Soccer team has been tapped to use Tucson's Kino Sports Complex as its tournament training base for this year's World Cup.
FC Tucson posted the following statement in response:
“FC Tucson is aware of news reports that Iran will not be participating in the FIFA World Cup. We remain in communication with Kino Sports Complex and, at this time, there has been no official update regarding Iran’s plans to train in Tucson.”
