A US-based watchdog group has urged the State Department to cancel visas for Iran's World Cup team, claiming new evidence shows the squad is integrated with IRGC terrorists and plans to wage a 'soft war' during the tournament. The allegations stem from a rally where an IRGC commander called the event a 'war battlefield' and the team stood near 'Death to America' chants.
Iran 's World Cup soccer team is at the center of a heated controversy as a prominent watchdog group urges the US government to revoke the players' visas, alleging the team is part of a coordinated ' soft war ' against America.
United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) has obtained a letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing evidence that the Iranian regime plans to exploit the tournament for hostile activities on US soil. The group points to a recent send-off ceremony in Tehran where senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders framed the World Cup as a 'war battlefield,' explicitly linking the team's mission to military actions such as guarding the Strait of Hormuz.
The ceremony, hosted by IRGC commander Hossein Yekta-a figure under international sanctions for violently suppressing protests-featured chants of 'Death to America' and displays of Hezbollah flags in the presence of the players. UANI further details the deep integration of the soccer federation with sanctioned IRGC and terrorist elements, noting co-hosted events with regime propagandists and the infiltration of domestic clubs by former and active militia members.
While the players have secured visas to compete in California and Washington, the US recently denied entries for more than a dozen support staff. UANI's Chairman Ambassador Mark Wallace argues the evidence base shows the team is inseparable from the regime's terrorist apparatus, raising serious security concerns.
The controversy renews past debates about Iran's participation in international sports Amid earlier geopolitical tensions, former President Donald Trump had warned it was 'not appropriate' for the team to compete due to safety worries. The upcoming matches in North America are now set against a backdrop of allegations that the squad is being weaponized for propaganda and subversive operations, prompting calls for immediate visa cancellations to prevent exploitation of the global sporting event
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