Iran has reportedly threatened to pull out of this summer’s World Cup after US and Israeli airstrikes killed the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The dramatic escalation follows a joint military operation on Saturday which targeted major Iranian cities, including the capital Tehran, following weeks of growing tension.
The attack came shortly after Iran and the United States were in negotiations to curb Iranian efforts to ever obtain a nuclear weapon in exchange for sanction relief that has long crippled the Iranian economy.
It appears those unsuccessful talks were the trigger for the intervention but Democrats decried that Trump had taken action without congressional authorization. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the administration had briefed several Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress in advance.
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In the wake of the conflict, Mehdi Taj, the president of the Iranian Football Federation, cast massive doubt over their participation in the upcoming summer tournament.
Speaking on Iranian TV network ‘Tehran’, according to Marca (via Daily Mail) he said: “With what happened today and with that attack by the United States, it is unlikely that we can look forward to the cup.”
He added: ‘But the sports chiefs are the ones who must decide on that.’
Should they choose to participate, Iran could face the United States at the World Cup in Dallas on July 3 if both teams finish second in their respective groups.
The warning comes just 107 days before the Iranian national team is scheduled to kick off its tournament against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
FIFA bosses are now reportedly scrambling to manage the fallout just months before the tournament begins across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Speaking at an IFAB meeting in Wales on Saturday, FIFA general secretary Mattias Grafstrom said: “I read the news the same way you did this morning.
“We had a meeting today and it would be premature to comment on that in detail,’ he continued, as officials weigh up the safety of the upcoming summer event.
“But of course we will monitor the developments around all issues around the world.
“We had a final draw in Washington where all teams participated and of course our focus is to have a safe World Cup with everybody participating.”
