Iran’s soccer team leaves for World Cup as some officials still await US visas

ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) 鈥� Iran鈥檚 World Cup soccer team set off from Turkey for their in Mexico on Saturday, with some members of their entourage reportedly still without U.S. visas, before three group matches in the United States later this month.

The Iranian Football Federation’s secretary-general, Hedayat Mombeini, and its vice president, Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, were among 14 backroom staff and officials without U.S. visas before games in Los Angeles and Seattle, according to Iranian state television.

It was unclear whether the federation鈥檚 president, Mehdi Taj, had been issued a visa.

The team鈥檚 participation in the World Cup has been complicated by . Problems with processing visas had earlier led Iran to move its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, which is on the .

The federation accused the U.S. of 鈥渧indictive behavior鈥� in refusing visas for 鈥渒ey managerial and administrative members鈥� of the team.

The decision had 鈥渆ffectively denied the Iranian national team the opportunity for a level playing field and a competition free from discrimination,鈥� according to a statement on the federation’s website. It added that the federation would pursue the matter through world soccer authority FIFA.

The Iranian Embassy in Ankara, meanwhile, responded to an earlier social media post from U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrack, in which he congratulated his embassy staff for processing the Iran team鈥檚 visas.

鈥淵ou cannot whitewash conduct that violates FIFA regulations and breaches the United States鈥� host obligations merely by praising yourselves,鈥� the Iranian post read. 鈥淭his represents the worst possible form of politically biased interference in sport.鈥�

One U.S. official earlier told The Associated Press that all players on the Iranian team were , while a second official said visas had been issued for players, coaches, trainers and some support staff. A third official suggested that some applicants affiliated with the team had been rejected for requesting visas 鈥渦nder false pretenses.鈥�

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the visas publicly.

The squad has been preparing for the World Cup at a . The team said that it has from the Mexican Embassy in Ankara.

The players, dressed in blue blazers over white T-shirts, left the luxury Mardan Palace hotel in Antalya on Saturday afternoon. They boarded a private jet at the Mediterranean city’s airport and were due to fly directly to Mexico.

Iran plays its first two games in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15, and Belgium six days later, then heads to Seattle to face Egypt on June 26. Iran and the U.S. could meet in the round of 32 on July 3 in Arlington, Texas, if both teams come second in their groups.

In March, U.S. President Donald Trump had from participating in the tournament, saying he didn鈥檛 think it was 鈥渁ppropriate鈥� and raising concerns over players鈥� 鈥渓ife and safety.鈥� A day later, Iran鈥檚 national team , saying 鈥渘o one can exclude鈥� it from playing.

Iran on Monday, including 17 home-based players whose clubs haven’t played since February because of the war. Star forward Sardar Azmoun was dropped in March, reportedly because of a social media post that angered Iranian authorities during the war.

Iran鈥檚 sports minister said in March that it would 鈥渘ot be possible鈥� for the team to participate in the World Cup, but the republic鈥檚 soccer federation said in May that it was moving ahead with a team. The federation that all players and staff be granted visas, including those who had military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

___ Seung Min Kim and Matthew Lee contributed to this report from Washington.