Tehran, Iran – Ismail Kowsari, a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, called for a firm stance, including a boycott of the FIFA World Cup, should the United States refuse to grant visas to the Iranian national team players.
“Boycott” in response to visa policy
Kowsari emphasized in a press statement that Tehran must adhere to its principled stance. He stated, “If even a small number of national team players are denied entry visas, we shouldn’t go to the World Cup at all.” He stressed the necessity of maintaining a logical and firm position in the face of any administrative or political obstacles.
Double standards and political interference
Kowsari criticized statements attributed to US President-elect Donald Trump regarding the possibility of barring Iranian players from entering US territory, describing them as “false.”
The Iranian parliamentarian pointed to the contradiction in Western rhetoric, which champions the slogan “no politics in sports,” while their actual actions contradict this principle.
Kothari considered everything the United States is doing with regard to the World Cup file to be a purely “political act”.
Parliamentary follow-up on the decision
In a related context, Kowsari emphasized that the National Security Committee in Parliament will closely monitor this process. This aims to ensure the national team’s dignity is preserved and the rights of Iranian athletes to participate internationally without political constraints are protected.
