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Esmail Baghaei, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Iranian government, said that the decision to relocate the base of their squad to the Mexican border city of Tijuana was made in coordination with FIFA and the Mexican Football Federation to prevent any problems for the Iranian national team.
Baghaei, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Iranian government, said in a press briefing as quoted by Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, that FIFA should provide appropriate conditions for their team's participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, starting from June 11 onwards and co-hosted by the USA, Spain and Mexico. Iran had earlier asked for their FIFA World Cup matches to be pulled out of the US due to tensions between the US and Iran in the Middle-East. He also asserted that the team has no other goal than participating in the World Cup and the organiser is FIFA. In a video posted on the Iran Football Federation's (FFIRI) Telegram account, President Mehdi Taj said, "We will be based in the Tijuana camp, which is near the Pacific Ocean and on the border between Mexico and the United States."Taj said Tijuana is a more convenient base for Iran, with just a 55-minute flight to Los Angeles, making it closer to the team's match venues than their originally planned camp in Arizona. "The total distance between us and the venue of our games in Los Angeles is 55 minutes by flight," Taj said in the video. Iran has qualified for the expanded 48-team tournament and is placed in Group G, alongside Belgium, New Zealand, and Egypt. Their matches are slated to be held in Los Angeles and Seattle. Earlier this month, Canada denied entry to the FFIRI President Mehdi Taj ahead of the FIFA Congress, citing alleged ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the ideological arm of Iran's military, which it designated as a "terrorist group" in 2024. Afterwards, the FFIRI said the country's team will compete in the World Cup, saying, as quoted by Al Jazeera, "We will definitely participate in the 2026 World Cup, but the hosts must take our concerns into account. We will participate in the World Cup tournament, but without any retreat from our beliefs, culture, and convictions." Mehdi Taj, on May 9, said on state television on Friday that Tehran has placed 10 conditions for participating in the FIFA World Cup and is seeking guarantees regarding the treatment of the national team during the event, according to Al Jazeera. According to Taj, the demands included timely issuance of visas, respect for the national team's staff, flag and national anthem throughout the tournament, and enhanced security arrangements at airports, hotels and on routes leading to stadiums where Iran's matches will be held. (ANI)
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