Iranian Visa Dispute Resolved
Iranian Player Mehdi Torabi Reissued US World Cup Visa Amid Tensions and IRGC Links Debate
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Key Points
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White House World Cup Taskforce executive director Andrew Giuliani said Iran’s squad is allowed to arrive the day before matches, and that there is enough time after games to “go straight back to Tijuana.”
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Torabi is at the tournament as a replacement for former Bayer Leverkusen forward Sardar Azmoun, who had been accused of “unpatriotic behaviour”; Torabi remained an unused substitute in the opener vs New Zealand.
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The U.S. position on IRGC links was reiterated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said the U.S. “would not allow anyone with links to the IRGC” to enter with the players.
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JPost reported additional details about Torabi’s political alignment, including that during Iran’s 2019 anti-government protests he wore a pitchside T-shirt saying, “The only way to save the country is to obey the leadership,” and that he has been a regular presence at pro-government rallies in Tehran’s Valiasr Square after late-February US and Israeli strikes.
Iran winger Mehdi Torabi has been cleared to play the rest of the World Cup after a scramble over his U.S. visa. WANA reported Tuesday that the Iran Football Federation confirmed Torabi received a new multiple-entry visa, ending a standoff that threatened to sideline him for the team's remaining Group G matches against Belgium and Egypt.
Torabi's single-entry visa expired after he entered the U.S. for Iran's opener against New Zealand on June 15 — a 2–2 draw at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The federation, working with FIFA and the U.S. State Department, secured the new visa just days later. The episode exposed the wider travel nightmare facing Iran's delegation as they compete under some of the toughest conditions at the 2026 World Cup.
How a Single-Entry Visa Nearly Ended Torabi's Tournament
When the Iranian squad left Los Angeles after the New Zealand match, officials discovered Torabi's visa only allowed one entry. That meant he was stuck at the team's base in Tijuana, Mexico, with no legal way back into the United States. While other Iranian players had received multiple-entry visas, Torabi did not — a distinction that Hitc linked to his well-documented ties to Iran's government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The IRGC is classified by the U.S. as a terrorist entity. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. "would not allow anyone with links to the IRGC" to enter with the players. After urgent talks between the Iran Football Federation, FIFA, and the State Department, a new multiple-entry visa was issued by Tuesday, according to Gulf News.
Torabi's Pro-Government Record Drew U.S. Scrutiny
Torabi is no ordinary squad member. During Iran's 2019 anti-government protests, he pulled off his shirt on the sidelines to reveal a message reading, "The only way to save the country is to obey the leadership," according to JPost. After U.S. and Israeli strikes killed senior Iranian leaders in February 2026, he was seen at pro-government rallies in Tehran's Valiasr Square.
Torabi is at the tournament as a replacement for Sardar Azmoun, the former Bayer Leverkusen forward who was dropped for "unpatriotic behaviour." Torabi did not play a single minute against New Zealand, coming off the bench as an unused substitute. His visa reissue suggests the State Department drew a line between barring support staff — 15 Iranian officials were denied visas entirely — and blocking a player who had already entered the country.
Iran Forced to Commute Five Hours From Tijuana for Each Match
Even with Torabi's visa resolved, Iran's situation remains grueling. The team's base in Tijuana sits roughly five hours from their Los Angeles match venue. U.S. officials have made clear the squad must return to Mexico immediately after every game. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House World Cup Task Force, said teams could arrive the day before matches and must "go straight back to Tijuana" after.
Coach Amir Ghalenoei said several substitutions against New Zealand were caused by cramps from travel fatigue, not tactical choices. He called his squad the "most oppressed" at the tournament. Captain Mehdi Taremi urged FIFA to "help us more," saying the lack of recovery time was a "disaster" for the players' health, according to OneIndia News.
Iran's Group G Schedule Hangs on Diplomatic Fine Print
Iran faces Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21, then travels to Seattle to face Egypt on June 27. Each trip means crossing the U.S. border, clearing security, competing, and returning to Mexico — all within a tight window set by U.S. officials. Fifteen Iranian support staff, including Vice President Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, remain barred from entering the U.S. at all, according to The National.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the Iran locker room to hear the team's concerns but has largely complied with U.S. travel rules. The Torabi visa reissue looks, as Yahoo News put it, like "an olive branch" — a narrow concession that keeps the tournament running without changing the broader restrictions pressing down on Team Melli.
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