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Iran's participation in this summer's World Cup remains uncertain, after the Iranian Football Federation declared that the national team will not participate in the tournament without accepting the conditions imposed on the host countries, the USA, Canada and Mexico.
In a statement broadcast on Iranian state television, sports authorities stressed that Tehran "will not give up its ideals, culture and beliefs," linking participation in the World Cup to compliance with certain specific requirements.
According to Iranian media, 10 main conditions have been set for the national team's participation in the tournament. These include guaranteeing visas for all players and technical staff, especially for people who have had ties to the Revolutionary Guard, such as players Mehdi Taremi and Ehsan Hajisafi.
Iran is also demanding increased security measures for the team at airports, hotels and during their journeys to stadiums. Another request concerns fans, who are asked to display only the official Iranian flag during matches.
The list of conditions also includes the playing of the Iranian national anthem before matches, as well as limiting journalists' questions to technical and sporting aspects only.
It remains to be seen how the host countries will respond to these requests. Canada has previously denied entry to the president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, due to his alleged ties to the Revolutionary Guard, causing diplomatic tension between the two countries.
Meanwhile, relations with the US are also considered sensitive, especially due to the US administration's harsh stance towards Tehran and ongoing negotiations over conflicts in the region.
The issue is expected to be discussed further at a meeting between representatives of Iran and FIFA on May 20 in Zurich.
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