United States Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin expressed his delight over Iran’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup.
“I’m glad they’re out and that they won’t be coming back. I was happy when we were able to revoke their visas and told them to leave the United States. I might have even sung a few songs or danced out of joy,” Mullin told The Athletic.
In response, the Iranian Football Federation issued a strongly worded statement:
“Iran is not surprised by such hostile remarks—our people have long faced disrespectful attitudes and inaccurate statements from American officials. These words once again demonstrate that representatives of the United States do not adhere to international law norms and fail to meet the standards expected of a host nation for a major international tournament. The fact that an official openly celebrates the elimination of Iran’s national team says far more about him than about our team. It reflects a petty mindset that views even the participation of a national team in the world’s biggest sporting event as unacceptable.”
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