Citing the ongoing airstrikes on Iran launched by the United States and Israel, the nation’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali announced on television Wednesday that Iran cannot “participate” in the 2026 World Cup.
The United States, along with Mexico and Canada, is set to host the World Cup later this year.
Speaking on Iranian television, Donyamali declared that ”[c]onsidering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup.
“Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist,” continued Donyamali. “Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they have forced two wars on us over eight or
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