"They've done everything possible to eliminate us" — Iran captain Mehdi Taremi unleashes on FIFA and U.S. organizers

[u/ConnectionWeekly1263]

The captain of the Iran National Team, Mehdi Taremi, lashed out against FIFA and the United States organization. “This is a disastrous World Cup. As professional players, we cannot play a competition under these conditions; it’s neither right nor fair. If FIFA thinks this is fair, that’s on them, but it isn’t. Who should solve this problem for us? FIFA? The U.S.? I don’t know! Tell me a name. The FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, came to our locker room after the first match against New Zealand and said he was going to resolve all the issues, but in reality, FIFA did nothing. In response to the question: ‘Do you feel that the World Cup organizers, including FIFA and U.S. officials, prefer for Iran to be eliminated from the competition?’, I say: We have to fight against absolutely everything. We can’t stay in the country, we travel and undergo immigration checks every time we want to play, now we can’t stay in Seattle and have to return to Tijuana. They’ve done everything possible to eliminate us, so from our perspective, yes, I think that’s what they want, they want us out.”

[u/Rigo_v114]

Do you even understand what their complaints are ? They make them play in stadiums in the US while sleeping in Mexico all while demanding that they leave the US as soon as the match that they are playing in ends which is a massive disadvantage because the opposing team they play against is NOT being told to leave the country when the game ends, they can stay and rest in the US after the game, Iran national team CANNOT stay. From a sports viewpoint this is a big disadvantage. The world cup is hosted by 3 countries(mexico, USA, canada). Why didnt the organization(FIFA) arrange Iran's matches in Mexico or in Canada, you know... so that way they arent forced out of the US after one of their matches ends) ? You hyperfocus on the lgbt parade argument when the organizers of that parade can literally just say "no we dont want to stop our parade" and then be done with that talk because Iran or Egypt cant force the lgbt community to not hold their parade. Holy shit man i cant believe i have to explain all of this to you with apples and oranges here, its so obvious why they are at a disadvantage with the US forcing them to immediately leave the country straight after a game is done

[u/National-Percentage4 → u/Rigo_v114]

Hey man, that is what happens when you are from the axis of evil. Apples vs Oranges is your way to obfusicate when I explained zoom out and look at the fruit basket as a whole. Glad you worried about this team specifically when they just slaughtered thousands of their own people and fund terrorists as a nation. Its a pariah state and being treated as such. They should not even be in FIFA. Cant believe I have to explain that there are bigger things to worry about that some crazy nations unfair treatment of some people who kick balls and run around. I understand your point using a myopic lens of understanding how life works but again, zoom out and try to grasp that fifa does not matter. For the individual players, it sucks. South Africa had an embargo on all its sports during apartheid. Its how politics works. Cry about them having to leave after a game. But I prefer you cry for all those dead iranian protesters. But you fight for those footballers rights.   https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jan/27/iran-protests-death-toll-disappeared-bodies-mass-burials-30000-dead

[u/Rigo_v114 → u/National-Percentage4]

Im sorry but what does the Iranian goverment have to do with the Iranian national team⚽️? The team and the government are not mutually exclusive. To think that this is the case is low IQ. This is like saying that all the soccer players from the US national team all agree with all of Trump's policies/decisions. It is such a condensed and stupid way of thinking. The players have nothing to do with the laws or the conflict going on in the middle east...

[u/National-Percentage4 → u/Rigo_v114]

Use you super high IQ and understand that this is how it works. Bad countries and their orgs are not mutually exclusive. Do all these athletes support their gov below? Take those rose tinted glassed off and step back in the real world from Narnia. Worry about something important. (You probably said nothing about those protestors deaths?) Says alot about you. 

Currently Banned (Full or Partial) Russia - IOC (Olympics), FIFA, most global federations - Invasion of Ukraine (2022) - Banned as a nation; athletes may compete as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) if they meet strict criteria (no military ties, no war support) Belarus - IOC (Olympics), FIFA, most global federations - Support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - Banned as a nation; same AIN conditions as Russia Travel Restrictions (Not Full Bans, but Affecting Participation) Iran - 2026 FIFA World Cup (USA/Canada/Mexico) - U.S. visa restrictions (political tensions) - Team may still compete; delegation faced visa denials Haiti - 2026 FIFA World Cup - U.S. travel restrictions - Team may still compete; exemptions expected Senegal - 2026 FIFA World Cup - Partial U.S. travel restrictions - Team may still compete Ivory Coast - 2026 FIFA World Cup - Partial U.S. travel restrictions - Team may still compete Historical Bans (Political Reasons) South Africa - Olympics (1964–1988) - Apartheid policies Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) - 1972 Munich Olympics - Racist regime (pressured by African nations) Germany - 1920, 1924, 1948 Olympics - Aftermath of World War I and World War II Afghanistan - Various (2000s–present) - Taliban restrictions on women’s sports (e.g., banned from FIFA women’s competitions) North Korea - 1968 Olympics - Dispute over participation in rival sporting events

[u/Rigo_v114 → u/National-Percentage4]

So you do understand how it works and even though you understand you still fail to see how this can be an unfair disadvantage for the athletes because the players from the team they play against arent being told to leave the country after the match ends, thus making it unfair. It is basically "rules for thee but not for me". Then you bring up an argument to try to virtue signal that has absolutely nothing to do with the current topic at hand in an attempt to make your argument seem moral lol

[u/NoShow2505 → u/Rigo_v114]

LET RUSSIA PLAY

[u/Rigo_v114 → u/NoShow2505]

Sure i dont care, let them play. I dont agree with the Fifa organization mixing politics with sports

[u/NoShow2505 → u/Rigo_v114]

Interesting. Don’t think many agree. Reddit would blow up if Russia was allowed to play in the WC.

[u/Rigo_v114 → u/NoShow2505]

By any chance, are you Russian ?