Iran have accused US officials of disturbing star striker Mehdi Taremi and assistant coach Saeed Alhoei during the team's travel to Seattle for their World Cup match against Egypt, causing a 25-minute delay. The Iranian Football Federation issued a statement condemning the incident, which occurred during the team's third trip to the United States.
Details of the Delay
According to the federation, Taremi and Alhoei were held up by US officials, forcing the entire team to wait before continuing their journey. The reason for the disruption has not been disclosed. “During the national team’s third trip to the United States, host officials disturbed Saeed Alhoei and Mehdi Taremi, delaying the convoy’s departure to Seattle for the match against Egypt,” the statement said.
Previous Complaints from Iran
This incident follows earlier complaints from Iran's head coach Amir Ghalenoei, who described his side as the "most oppressed" team at the World Cup after the tournament's first match against New Zealand. The team faced last-minute travel restrictions, being told to return to their training base in Mexico immediately after the game, contrary to expectations of staying overnight in Los Angeles.
"After the game they said to us 'you have to leave immediately'," Ghalenoei said. "We've been asked to get on a plane and return to our camp in Tijuana and we are really troubled by that. They are forcing us to go back early. They are making the situation more and more difficult, more hurdles, but we're not going to let that stop us from doing our best."
Impact on the Team
The disruptions have added to the challenges faced by the Iranian squad during the World Cup. Despite the travel issues, the team has continued to prepare for their fixtures, with the match against Egypt being a crucial group stage encounter. The Iranian Football Federation has not indicated whether they will formally protest the treatment by US officials.
