Iran will begin its tournament campaign against New Zealand on Tuesday, as part of a group that also includes Egypt and Belgium, amid a tense atmosphere due to the ongoing war with the United States and Israel.
Taj said, in statements reported by the Iranian “varzesh3” website: “I would like to thank you for attending the training of the Iranian national team, and I extend my thanks to the Mexican president, his vice president, and the people of Mexico who cooperated with our team in every way.”
He added: “I have a complaint about the other country hosting the World Cup, which did not adhere, at least with regard to Iran, to any of the international protocols for the World Cup competitions,” referring to the United States.
Taj talked about the “Minab 168” logo on his clothes, saying that 168 children who were studying were bombed, noting that the team’s participation in the World Cup comes under this name.
Regarding the possibility of people entering the stadium carrying a flag other than the Iranian flag, Taj said, “FIFA is responsible for implementing the protocols,” adding that the American government did not fully adhere to them, including the necessity of the country’s official flag being present in the stadium.
He confirmed that the Iranian Federation informed FIFA of the official flag of Iran, indicating that there is cooperation to resolve this crisis.
Regarding US President Donald Trump’s statements about the possibility of reaching an agreement with Iran, Taj said: “Our team came here for football.”
He added that the Iranian national team’s focus is entirely on the upcoming matches, stressing that his country welcomes any agreement that is in Iran’s interest and is consistent with peace.
