A visa dispute is threatening Iran’s national team just six months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, raising fears that star striker Mehdi Taremi may be barred from entering the United States and miss the tournament.
The issue centers on two main concerns: Taremi’s past military service in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy between 2010 and 2012—an entity the U.S. has designated a terrorist organization—and a resurfaced 2018 post in which he quoted Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a harsh statement against Israel. Though the post was deleted years later, screenshots continue to circulate online, and Iranian officials worry it could resurface during the U.S. visa review process.
Unlike many of his teammates, Taremi served in the Revolutionary Guard's naval base in Bushehr, reportedly through family connections. In a 2015 interview, Taremi said, “I served in Bushehr, close to home, at the IRGC Navy base. It wasn’t difficult at all.”
Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj confirmed in an interview that the federation has already identified potential replacements for players who may face entry denials. According to Iranian media, the final delegation list also includes security personnel linked to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence—an additional complication for securing U.S. visas.
Iran’s situation is further complicated by administrative and diplomatic hurdles. The three host nations—United States, Canada, and Mexico—are not obligated to grant entry visas to every player, staff member or official. FIFA has clarified that visa approvals fall under the sovereignty of the host countries, and the organization does not intervene in such matters. The implication is clear: Iran could arrive at the tournament without its star forward—and potentially without other team personnel.
Taremi, 33, is one of Asia’s most accomplished footballers, with 56 goals in 101 appearances for the national team, including two World Cup tournaments and a brace against England in the 2022 group stage. He became only the second Iranian player to reach a UEFA Champions League final last year (with Inter Milan), and transferred to Olympiacos this past summer.
While Iran thanked FIFA repeatedly for its cooperation during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, relations this time are far more strained. Tehran has already complained about visa rejections for five football federation staffers and, just this week, objected to a planned “Pride Match” against Egypt set to be held in Seattle on June 26.