Mehdi Taremi, assistant coach, held up at airport by US officials, Iran says

Iran’s football federation says its star forward Mehdi Taremi and assistant coach Saeed Alhoei were held up by United States host officials as the team departed Mexico for their last group-stage World Cup match in Seattle.

Officials “caused problems” for the duo, delaying their delegation as they travelled to the US for their match against Egypt, FFIRI announced in a statement on Wednesday.

“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.

While the federation did not specify the reasons for the hold-up and whether Taremi and Alhoei were subject to questioning, it confirmed that both joined the delegation after 25 minutes and they departed with them for Seattle.

Iran’s squad and support staff have been based in Tijuana, Mexico, as they arrived for the World Cup amid the US-Israeli war on their country.

Their delegations have travelled to the US twice, arriving a day before their fixtures and departing soon after the full-time whistle. Both matches were hosted in Los Angeles, California, and the third one will also be played on the US West Coast, in Seattle, Washington.

The incident comes a day after US authorities claimed to have eased travel restrictions on Iran’s World Cup delegation, allowing them to travel to Seattle two days prior to their game but still requiring them to leave immediately afterwards.

Iranian players and sports officials have decried the American hosts’ treatment of Team Melli, which had to set up its base camp in Mexico while playing all three of its group-stage matches on the US West Coast.

US officials have suggested that their restrictions on the Iranian team have to do with security, without providing details of how the stay of internationally renowned athletes in the country could pose a threat to anyone.