Sports Ministry says ban for ‘security’ of athletes before a game between Iranian and Emirati clubs in Saudi Arabia.
Iran has banned its sports teams from travelling to countries it considers “hostile”, Iranian state TV reported, before club side Tractor SC’s scheduled football match in Saudi Arabia.
The ban on Thursday comes nearly a month after United States-Israeli attacks on Iran led to war on February 28.
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A statement by Iran’s Ministry of Sports announcing the ban singled out the Tractor playoff game in the Asian Champions League against Shabab Al Ahli of Dubai that was set to be played in Saudi Arabia next month.
“The presence of national and club teams in countries that are considered hostile and are unable to ensure the security of Iranian athletes and team members is prohibited until further notice,” it said.
The ministry added that the football federation and clubs “will be responsible for notifying the Asian Football Confederation of this matter in order to relocate the games”.
The statement did not provide a list of countries deemed hostile.
Tractor’s playoff game in Saudi Arabia was the result of the Asian Football Confederation’s draw on Wednesday to determine the quarterfinal pairings, a day after announcing that the western zone playoffs that were postponed because of the war have been rescheduled for April 13-14 in Jeddah.
The Saudi city is also slated to host the tournament quarterfinals, semifinals and final from April 16-25, with organisers setting the dates and hoping for peace in the region.
Thursday’s statement by the Iranian Sports Ministry did not mention the World Cup – to be held in Canada, Mexico, and the US in June and July – which Iran has qualified for.
The Iranian ambassador in Mexico City has said the country was negotiating with FIFA to move Iran’s three group-stage matches from the US to Mexico after US President Donald Trump discouraged the team from attending the 48-nation tournament, citing safety concerns.
Last week, however, FIFA President Gianni Infantino further dampened Iran’s attempts to move its World Cup matches, saying global football’s governing body wants the tournament “to go ahead as scheduled”.
Iranian government and football officials have said they do not want to boycott the World Cup, but that it is not possible for the national team to come to the US because of its joint attacks with Israel on Iran.
The Iranian national squad is currently in Turkiye preparing for friendly internationals against Nigeria on Friday and Costa Rica on Tuesday.