While Iran and Belgium played to a fairly calm 0-0 draw in their World Cup group stage matchup in Los Angeles on Sunday—a contest marked by Iran keeper Alireza Beiranvand’s spectacular left-handed save in the 59th minute—tensions between Iran and the nation hosting their World Cup games continue to escalate.
After the U.S. and Iran signed an initial agreement to end the war last week, and as the two sides met in Switzerland to hash out longer-term peace on Sunday, President Donald Trump threatened further strikes against Iran, which said it was again closing the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile Markwayne Mullen, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, told Fox News on Sunday that the president of Iran’s soccer federation, who has been denied a visa to enter the U.S. during the World Cup, on Saturday attempted to board the team’s plane from Tijuana, Mexico, where Iran is based during the tournament, to Los Angeles. Mullen accused the Iranian sports official—he did not directly name him, but the president of Iran’s soccer body is Mehdi Taj—of having “direct ties” to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Iranian military body that the U.S. government has deemed a terrorist organization.
Iran’s soccer federation hit back hard with a statement, calling Mullen’s remarks “FAKE” and an “outright and undeniable lie.” The statement said Mullen’s comments “represent a clear attempt to cover up discriminatory behavior and unreasonable restrictions imposed on the Iranian national team delegation.” (Eleven members of the team’s traveling party were denied U.S. visas for the World Cup). The federation called the U.S. a “law-breaking country.”
“All I can tell you is that Secretary Mullen is accurate,” Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA 2026 World Cup, tells TIME in a telephone interview on Sunday. “Every single day he is focused on the safety of the homeland, and Americans should sleep sound at night knowing that he is your Secretary of Homeland Security.”
The salvos come on the heels of complaints, made by the Iranian coaches and players, about the restrictions on their World Cup travel. During its first two games of the tournament, a 2-2 tie against New Zealand, also in Los Angeles, on June 15, and Sunday’s draw, Iran had to fly into Southern California from Mexico on the day before the game, and leave right after the final whistle. While it’s common for teams to return to their base camps following a game, the U.S. team, for example, flew from Irvine, Calif., to Seattle two days before its match against Australia on June 19, and Belgium was in L.A. two days before the Iran game.
After last week’s Iran-New Zealand tie, Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi called the arrangements “a disaster for us.” Taremi said it took the team hours to get through immigration upon landing for that World Cup opener. On Saturday, according to an Iranian soccer press officer, the team departed Tijuana at 12:20 p.m., less than 24 hours before kickoff. After a quick flight, immigration, and a stop at the team hotel, Iran’s practice began at 4:30 p.m., which is unusually late the day before a noon start. So Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said the team did not conduct its usual full practice session.
At a press conference Ghalenoei, through an interpreter, said that the U.S. policies “undermine the ethics and spirit of football” and are “not suitable” for a World Cup. “It shows we are an oppressed country,” Ghalenoei said.
According to Giuliani, Iran agreed to these terms—arrive in the U.S. the day before the match, leave right after—weeks ago. “The complaint of not being able to stay the extra day, I’m kind of mind-boggled by it,” says Giuliani, citing the short flight time, about a half-hour, from Los Angeles to Tijuana. Giuliani notes that NFL teams typically fly back to their home cities right after road games, and that the U.S. soccer team, after beating Australia 2-0 on Friday, took a three-hour flight to return to its Orange County, Calif., home base.
“I wouldn’t look at this as overly burdensome in any kind of way,” says Giuliani. “I think the U.S. government has taken extraordinary steps to allow an even playing field.” Iran plays Egypt in its last group stage game this Friday, June 26. Restrictions could be eased for this game. “We’re going to reassess,” Giuliani says.
Despite all the upheaval, Iran still has an opportunity to win Group G and advance to the knockout round for the first time in the nation’s seven World Cup appearances. Belgium, ranked No. 10 in the world, had possession of the ball for 70% of the game on Sunday and outshot Iran 23-7. Team Melli was fortunate to escape with a point. “We are very, very happy,” says Iran midfielder Alireza Jahanbakhsh.
And if Iran does win the group, and their game in the round of 32, there’s a chance Team Melli could face the U.S. in the round of 16.
“We put our hearts on the pitch,” says Jahanbakhsh, “for our people.”
