Iranian forward Mehdi Torabi has been issued a new visa, allowing him to take part in the remainder of the FIFA World Cup, according to representatives from the U.S. State Department and the Iran Football Federation speaking to ESPN.
The 31-year-old Torabi was an unused substitute during Iran’s recent 2-2 draw with New Zealand. Following the match, it was revealed that his visa had expired because he had been issued a single-entry visa, whereas his teammates received multiple-entry visas.
A spokesperson from the U.S. Department of State confirmed to ESPN, “This issue has been resolved. Once we became aware of the situation, we acted quickly to ensure the player can participate in every game.”
The Iran Football Federation later confirmed Torabi’s visa status in a statement to ESPN. “Torabi’s prior single-entry U.S. visa had expired. After collaborative efforts between the Football Federation and FIFA, a new multiple-entry visa was issued on Tuesday,” the statement explained. “With this new visa, Torabi will have no issues traveling with Iran’s national team for its upcoming matches throughout the tournament.”
Visa issues have historically been a concern between the Iran Football Federation and the U.S. State Department due to the geopolitical tensions stemming from conflicts involving Israel and the U.S. on one side and Iran on the other. Complicating matters further, Iran is scheduled to play all three of its group stage matches on U.S. soil, with two games in the Los Angeles area and another in Seattle.
Iran relocated its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, as 13 members of the Iranian delegation were denied U.S. visas, including Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation. While the State Department has opted not to comment on specific visa denials, Taj’s prior role as a high-ranking officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which the U.S. has designated as a terrorist organization, has raised concerns.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has previously stated that the U.S. would not permit individuals with ties to the IRGC in an Iranian delegation.
According to the U.S. Department of State’s website, a single-entry visa allows for one entry into the U.S. during its validity. Once the visa holder departs, it becomes invalid regardless of the listed expiration date. Conversely, a multiple-entry visa permits unlimited entries to the U.S. for the same purpose until it expires.
Another ongoing point of contention between the Iran Football Federation and the U.S. State Department involves the duration that the Iranian team can stay in the U.S. for their matches. An Iranian representative had noted last week that the team could enter the U.S. one day prior to their matches and leave the day after. However, coach Amir Ghalenoei expressed that there had been a last-minute change, requiring the team to depart immediately following their match against New Zealand.
Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, remarked in an ABC News interview, “We’ve allowed the Iranian team to come in just the day before their match for what is merely a 27-minute flight from Tijuana to Los Angeles. The United States has been more than accommodating, providing visas for all 31 players and coaches to ensure competitive balance.” He added that Iran was fully aware of the need to leave the venues immediately post-match.
“We were clear on the process from the beginning,” he affirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday.