Iran bars its sports teams from traveling to 'hostile' countries

Iran has banned national and club sports teams from traveling to countries it considers hostile until further notice, Iranian media reported on Thursday, citing the Sports Ministry, which said the move was due to concerns over the safety of its athletes.

“The presence of national and club teams in countries considered hostile and unable to ensure the security of Iranian athletes and team members is prohibited until further notice,” the ministry said.

The ministry added that the Iranian soccer federation and clubs were required to notify the Asian Football Confederation so that match venues could be relocated.

It cited club team Tractor FC playing a United Arab Emirates soccer team in Saudi Arabia in its statement, but did not specify which venues needed to be relocated or which countries were deemed hostile.

The announcement came nearly a month after US-Israeli attacks on Iran sparked the Middle East war on February 28.

Iran has qualified for this year’s World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and their matches against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt were scheduled to be played in the US.

US President Donald Trump said earlier this month that while Iran’s national team was welcome to play in the US, it might not be appropriate for their “life and safety.”

Iran’s soccer federation is in discussions with soccer’s world governing body FIFA about moving its World Cup matches from the US to Mexico, federation President Mehdi Taj said last week.

The squad is currently in Turkey preparing for friendly internationals against Nigeria on Friday and Costa Rica on Tuesday.

In a high-profile incident this month, six players and a staff member of the Iranian women’s football team had sought asylum in Australia after refusing to sing the national anthem during the Asian Cup.

This has prompted Tehran to brand them “traitors.”

Five later reversed their decision and returned to Iran, while two remain in Australia.

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