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Iran football federation denies US claims of Revolutionary Guard member

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 21, 2026, 7:26 PM

Last updated Jun 21, 2026

Iran football federation denies US claims of Revolutionary Guard member

Summary

The Iranian football federation (FFIRI) refuted US allegations that an individual with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attempted to join the team’s flight to Los Angeles for a match against Belgium. US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin asserted that the person was prevented from boarding the flight due to their connections with the IRGC. The FFIRI condemned Mullin's claims as 'fabricated and entirely baseless,' emphasizing that their president, Mehdi Taj, was not involved in such an incident. Eleven members of Iran’s World Cup delegation have been denied visas to enter the US, prompting concerns from their coach, Amir Ghalenoei, regarding bureaucratic restrictions impacting the team's preparation.

Source Links

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Key Details

•FFIRI denies US claims regarding IRGC ties
•US official claims prevented IRGC member from boarding flight
•Iran coach expresses concerns over visa denials
•Eleven delegation members denied US visas for World Cup
•FFIRI labels accusations as false and misleading

Latest Updates

7:26 PMYahoo Sports — Revolutionary Guard claim 'outright lie' - Iran's football federation

What they're saying

"
US claims that an individual with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) tried to join the Iran team’s flight to the United States on Saturday are “fabricated and entirely baseless allegations,” the country’s football federation (FFIRI) has said. Markwayne Mullin, the US Homeland Security Secretary, told Fox News on Sunday that someone under the guise of being the Iranian federation (FFIRI) president tried to board the team’s flight to Los Angeles from Mexico for Sunday’s match aga
— Yahoo Sports

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