Iran confirms it will not compete at World Cup 2026 as statement issued
The Iranian sports minister pointed towards the assassination of its Supreme Leader as one reason why they could not compete
Iran's sports minister has confirmed that the Middle Eastern country won't be participating in this summer's World Cup as conflict with the United States continues.
Ahmad Donyamali spoke in a television interview about the country's decision ahead of football's biggest tournament, with their position in doubt since Donald Trump launched strikes against Iran last month.
"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."
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Donyamali's statement comes just hours after FIFA chief Gianni Infantino claimed that he had received assurances from US president Donald Trump that the Iranian team are 'welcome to compete at this summer's World Cup.
"We also spoke about the current situation in Iran, and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026," Infantino wrote in a statement posted to Instagram.
"During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States."
He added: "We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World."
Trump had already confirmed that Iranian fans wouldn't be able to attend fixtures held in the United States after naming the country on his travel ban list, with Haiti fans also set to be denied the chance to see their country play at its first ever World Cup.
Iran had been drawn into Group G of the World Cup and were set to face New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt - in FIFA's designated pride match, with all three of their matches due to take place in the US.
No country has withdrawn from a World Cup since 1950, when France and India pulled out because of 'travel costs', with FIFA now in an extremely difficult position as the war rages on.
Why are the United States and Israel attacking Iran?
US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday (28 February) that the US and Israel have started 'major combat operations' in Iran after explosions were heard in multiple cities across the country.
Following a significant buildup of US forces in the region in recent weeks, Trump declared in a video posted on Truth Social that 'we are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground'.
Alongside hundreds of civilian casualties - including at least 153 people and children after a reported strike hit a school in Minab - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was confirmed dead following Israeli missile strikes around Tehran.
According to Trump, the aim of this weekend's attacks were to 'ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon'.
Meanwhile, in reference to Israel's retaliation strikes, the country's defence minister stated that the goal was to 'remove threats against the State of Israel'.
This has come after weeks of Trump threatening military action in Iran if the Middle Eastern country did not agree to a new deal over its nuclear programme. However, Iran has insisted repeatedly that its nuclear activities are 'entirely peaceful'.
What areas of the Middle East have been affected?
In retaliation to the US and Israeli strikes, Iran has launched strikes of its own on Israel and Gulf Arab countries, which include Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait.
The BBC reports that at least nine people were killed in a strike on the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, while military and civilian targets - including an American naval base in Bahrain and Dubai's international airport in the United Arab Emirates - were also targeted across the weekend.
Several videos have been posted on social media from tourists and civilians that show the damage inflicted across these areas from missile and drone strikes, including many British citizens who are currently stranded in Dubai.
Is the UK going to war with Iran?
This is a question that has been asked repeatedly since the major combat operation began in Iran, due to the nation being an ally of both the United States and Israel.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that British planes were 'in the sky' in the Middle East as part of a defensive operation 'to protect our people, our interests and our allies', and condemned Iran's retaliatory attacks on 'partners across the region'.
While the UK did not participate in the strikes, Starmer released a joint statement with the leaders of France and Germany, calling for Iran to 'refrain from indiscriminate military strikes'.
"Iran can end this now," Starmer said. "They should refrain from further strikes, give up their weapons programme and cease the appalling violence and oppression of the Iranian people – who deserve the right to determine their own future."
However, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Yvette Cooper, has said it is 'simply not true' that the UK is being dragged into another Iraq-style conflict in the Middle East.
While addressing a reported Iranian drone strike on a RAF base in Cyprus, she told Sky News on Monday, 2 March: "We took a very specific decision not to provide support for strikes that were taking place over this weekend. We have been clear that we believe there should be a diplomatic process, negotiations process."
James Moorhouse