Iran Soccer Team Granted US Visas Amid Tensions, Relocates Base to Mexico

Iran's World Cup soccer players have been granted visas to enter the United States, a White House official confirmed on Friday, just 10 days before their first match in Los Angeles. This development unfolds amid a conflict between the two countries. Iran's ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, had stated late on Thursday that the squad had still not received their U.S. visas, but these were granted overnight, the White House official said. Tehran negotiated a last-minute move of the team's base from Arizona to Tijuana in Mexico due to the visa issues and a growing feeling in Iran that the squad’s presence in the United States should be kept to a minimum. They are scheduled to land in Tijuana early Sunday morning. Iran are due to play their first Group G match on June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles, where they will also face Belgium before taking on Egypt in Seattle. The Iran war has turned the World Cup – the biggest global sporting event – into a geopolitical contest, with both sides appearing to use the tournament for political posturing. It is the first World Cup, since its inception in 1930, in which a host nation is set to receive a country it is at war with.