Iran has been drawn into Group G with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand and will play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
“We need to prepare backup options for the World Cup. If a player is told he cannot travel for any reason, we need to have replacements ready,” Taj said.
The problem for Iranian players is that the country has mandatory military service for all men once they reach the age of 19.
A number of Iran national team players have served in the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the US since 2019.
Taj attended the World Cup draw in Washington DC last week, but an Iranian assistant coach was denied a visa because he had served in the IRGC.
“We protested to FIFA, they could have stood up more strongly against the United States,” Taj said. “Saeed Elhayi, a member of the technical staff, was denied a visa due to the location of his military service.”
Iranian players often fulfill their national service obligations by playing in Iran’s top professional league with clubs associated with the military. However, others may perform full national service obligations.
The highest profile player to have served in the IRGC is captain and national team talisman Mehdi Taremi, who plays for Olimpiacos in Greece. He also played for Inter and Porto.
In a statement to Pro Soccer Wire, a US State Department spokesperson did not assess the possibility of Iranian players having their visas denied in a similar manner to Elhayi’s visa denial for the draw.
“The Trump Administration is committed to doing everything we can to support a successful World Cup. At the same time, the Administration will not hesitate in upholding U.S. law and the highest standards of national security and public safety in the conduct of our visa process,” the statement said.
“We review each visa application on a case-by-case basis, following rigorous review and thorough vetting to determine the individual’s eligibility under U.S. law.”
Contact the writer of this story at paul.nicholson@insideworldfootball.com
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