By Jasper Ward
WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) – The United States eased restrictions on the Iran squad’s travel arrangements at the World Cup on Tuesday, allowing them to travel two days before their next match, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said.
The Iranian team were previously only allowed to enter the U.S. a day before a match, a move that led the coach to say Iran were “the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup.”
“For the Iranian team’s third match in Seattle on June 26, the team has been permitted to come into the U.S. two days before the match,” a DHS spokesperson said.
“The Iran team will still be required to leave the day the match ends. The overall security measures and protocol are the same. We remain committed to providing the safest tournament possible for players, staff, and fans alike.”
FIFA and the Iranian team did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Iran expressed intent last week to lodge a complaint with soccer’s world governing body FIFA over the travel restrictions the team have been facing, commuting from their tournament base in Tijuana, Mexico, the day ahead of their games in the United States. The restrictions come amid high tensions between Washington and Tehran following a nearly four-month war.
In March, U.S. President Donald Trump said while Iran were welcome to participate in the tournament, he believed it was not appropriate that they remain there between matches “for their own life and safety.”
(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Additional reporting by Ismail Shakil; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Rosalba O’Brien)
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