US President Donald Trump warned Iran’s football team on Thursday that their “life and safety” would be at risk if they took part in the upcoming World Cup in North America, despite assuring the FIFA president days earlier that they would be welcome amid the war in the Middle East.
“The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to the World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
Trump's message appears to depart somewhat from what the Republican president relayed Tuesday at the White House to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who later publicly said that Trump assured him the Iranian players and coaches would be welcome.
His post came two days after FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he had spoken with Trump “about the situation in Iran,” and was assured by the president that the Iranian soccer team is “welcome to compete” at the World Cup held in North America this summer.
“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino said in an Instagram post on Tuesday. “We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World.”
A White House official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss private conversations, had confirmed Trump's message to Infantino about Iran's participation.
But hours later, Iran’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said the country will not be participating in the event, which is set to begin in less than 100 days.
“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” Donyamali told state television, referring to the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist.”
Iran, one of 48 teams in the tournament, is scheduled to play in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 before finishing group play in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.
The White House did not immediately clarify what Trump meant by "their own life and safety," such as whether he anticipated threats against them while in the United States after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that began Feb. 28. The U.S. is hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
