Mexico, June 9 (IANS) Iran’s national football team will be allowed to enter the United States the day before each of its World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Tuesday, dismissing reports that the squad would have to travel in and out of the country on match days.

The clarification follows reports on Saturday, when Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, was reported by some news media as saying that the team would have to enter and exit the USA on the same day of their matches, causing concern about travelling and its effect on the team’s performance.

“It was not the case that Iran would be forced to arrive the same day as their matches,” the DHS spokesman said.

“These statements are untrue,” the spokesman added in the statement. “Thanks to the generosity of President Donald Trump, the Iranian team will be able to arrive the day before their matches.”

Iran are currently in training in Tijuana, Mexico.

After weeks of uncertainty, all the members of the Iranian team were granted their visas by the U.S. Authorities on Friday, only ten days before the start of the competition.

However, Iran’s delegation had several officials denied entry, whom their football federation called “key managerial and administrative members.” According to the Iranian embassy in Mexico, the denials include the team manager, two team analysts, the media director, and a representative of the Foreign Ministry.

Iran start their World Cup competition against New Zealand in Los Angeles on the 15th of June, followed by Belgium in Los Angeles on the 21st of June. They then play Egypt in Seattle on the 26th of June.

Their training camp was initially supposed to take place in Arizona, but was moved as it was claimed by some that it was unsafe following the war declared by the USA and Israel on Iran in February.

President Trump announced in March that Iran would be welcomed in the tournament, but stated that it would not be suitable for the players to stay in the US between their matches.

–IANS

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