Iranian forward gets US visa for World Cup: team official

Iranian forward Mehdi Torabi has received a visa for the United States that will allow him to play the rest of the tournament there, a team official said Tuesday.

Torabi, who sat on the bench in the squad’s opening 2-2 draw with New Zealand, had originally only been granted permission to enter the country once, setting the team scrambling to find a solution that would allow him to return to face Belgium on Sunday.

“Following efforts by the Football Federation and coordination with FIFA, the player was issued a new multiple-entry visa today,” a team official said.

“With this visa now secured, Torabi will have no issues accompanying Iran’s national team in its upcoming matches and will be available to travel with the squad throughout the remainder of the tournament.”

Iran’s final group game is against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

The visa issue was the latest complication for the Iranian team in the run up to the World Cup.

Team Melli’s participation had been in doubt since the United States and Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran in late February.

Tehran hit back at US allies in the region, targeting infrastructure and closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which 20 percent of the world’s oil passes.

A plan to station the team in Arizona was scrubbed at the 11th hour, with a new base camp being established in Tijuana, Mexico instead.

US officials denied visas entirely for more than a dozen support staff, meaning they could not travel to the games.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei complained Monday that Iran was the “most oppressed team in the World Cup” after his players were suddenly informed they must travel back to Mexico immediately after their opening game ended.

“They delayed our arrivals, (now) they are forcing us to go back early without time for recovery,” Ghalenoei told journalists.

“They are making the situation more and more difficult, facing us with more hurdles, but we’re not going to let that stop us from doing our best.”