Iran's World Cup preparations are taking place under unprecedented circumstances, with the nation at war with the primary host country, a situation unique in the tournament's history. Two members of the squad have spoken exclusively to The Associated Press about how the ongoing geopolitical tensions are affecting their build-up to the competition.
Midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi, who will be making his third World Cup appearance, acknowledged the difficulties. 'Well, to be honest, it's not easy,' he said during a training session in Turkey. 'At the end... it is going to be difficult for us because at the same time, we are following the news in our country and the political things, of course, can affect the mind of the players and the people.'
The team has spent over two weeks training in Antalya, Turkey, and some players travelled to Ankara to submit visa applications at the US embassy. Media access to their preparations has been restricted. The squad will travel to Mexico this weekend after securing visas, having changed their training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana due to earlier visa processing difficulties.
Iran's first two matches will be played near Los Angeles, home to a large Iranian community. 'So for sure, we are expecting to have a lot fans during our games at the stadium,' Ezatolahi said. 'And this is going to be a lot pressure for us because the expectation is going be high. I just wish we can make them proud and show them that Iranians, they are prepared for every hard job in the world.'
First-time World Cup player Mohammad Ghorbani emphasised the team's determination. 'It's true that we are facing special circumstances right now but we are football players and we have to play, practice, and prepare ourselves for the competitions we have ahead,' he said. 'We know that our people have been going through a lot of difficulties throughout the war, and we are going there for them, to get the best results for their joy.'
Iran will open their campaign against New Zealand on 15 June in Inglewood, followed by a match against Belgium on 21 June, and conclude Group G against Egypt in Seattle on 26 June. 'The best message I can give right now is that the Iranian team is showing what it means to be a team,' Ghorbani added. 'We are showing that we are one team under one flag that can bring joy to our whole country.'
