US Eases Travel Restrictions for Iranian Soccer Team at World Cup

The US Department of Homeland Security announced on Tuesday that it is easing strict travel restrictions for the Iranian national team at the World Cup, the AP reported. The team, based in Tijuana, Mexico, has been allowed to travel to Seattle for Friday's match two days early.

According to Andrew Giuliani of the White House's FIFA task force, the decision was made after assessing the smooth execution of previous trips. The Iranian team must, however, return immediately after the match.

The change comes amid political negotiations to end the war in Iran. Since the start of the tournament, the Iranian team has complained about extreme conditions and being placed at a disadvantage. Before their matches near Los Angeles, they were allowed to arrive only one day in advance, leaving them with less than 24 hours to acclimate and recover.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei and captain Alireza Jahanbakhsh repeatedly requested the same treatment as the other 47 teams. The players also faced significant logistical challenges: the short, 200 km flight from Mexico to the US took up to five hours because of strict border controls.

(max)