BERLIN: Iranian sports minister Ahmad Donyamali has ruled out that the men's national team will play at the World Cup in the summer in the United States owing to the ongoing war, the German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
The United States and Israel have been conducting air strikes on Iran since Feb 28, during which Iran's supreme leader, ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed. They also attacked Iran last summer.
"Since this corrupt government assassinated our leader, we have no conditions under which we can participate in the World Cup," Donyamali said in a television interview.
"In view of the malicious measures taken against Iran, two wars were forced upon us within eight or nine months, and several thousand of our people were killed. Therefore, we definitely have no possibility of participating in this way."
It is not clear whether the decision is final.
Iran qualified for the June 11-July 18 World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada. They are due to play their three group matches against Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in US cities, the first two matches in Inglewood, California, and the third in Seattle.
Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj has also hinted at a boycott after events around the women's team at the Asian Cup in Australia.
Six players decided to stay in Australia after being given humanitarian visas by the government there. US President Donald Trump had said they would offer such visas if the Australians didn't.
"What sensible person would send their national team to the US if the World Cup were to be as political as it was in Australia?" Taj said.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Instagram that he was told by Trump in a meeting on Tuesday that Iran's team "is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the US" despite the war.- Bernama
