ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) — Excluded from Iran’s soccer squad for the World Cup in what seemed to be a political decision, former star forward Sardar Azmoun posted his support for teammates on social media Tuesday.
Iran squad members who play for clubs at home arrived in Turkey on Monday for an extended training camp ahead of traveling to the United States early in June. They are preparing to play three group-stage games, at Inglewood, California and Seattle.
Azmoun, who played at the last two World Cups, has not been selected since posting a photograph on social media in March that angered Iranian authorities during the war with the U.S. and Israel.
“Wishing you all the best, guys,” Azmoun wrote in Farsi on his Instagram account that has 5.8 million followers. “It’s true that I’m not there with you, but you are my friends and there is no reason not to wish you success.”
The 31-year-old Azmoun is a great in Iranian soccer with 57 career goals in 91 appearances.
Azmoun now plays in Dubai for the Shabab Al-Ahli club. In March he posted a photo, later deleted, of himself with the emirate’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The United Arab Emirates has normalized diplomatic relations with Israel since 2020, and has been targeted by Iranian drones in the regional conflict that started on Feb. 28.
Azmoun wrote Tuesday that: “A lot of people are trying to bring me down, but these things being said aren’t true at all.”
Iran’s home-based players had no competitive games since February because the national league shut down during the war.
They have returned to Turkish coastal resort Antalya where in March they played two warmup games and also met FIFA president Gianni Infantino to talk about the logistical and political challenges of entering and playing games in the United States.
A follow-up meeting Saturday between Iranian soccer leaders and FIFA officials in Istanbul did not lead to any guarantees being announced about getting visas to enter the U.S.
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration promised in January to give athletes and coaches visiting for major sporting events an exemption from travel bans, but not other officials.
Iran's delegation is expected to arrive between June 5-10 at a training base in Tucson, Arizona.
The team's opening game is June 15 against New Zealand at the Los Angeles Rams' stadium, where it also plays Belgium. Iran finishes group play against Egypt on June 26 in Seattle amid the city's official celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride. Both the Iranian and Egyptian soccer federations have objected to the plans.
Iranian soccer officials also want FIFA to ban flags dating before the Islamic Revolution in 1979 from stadiums where the team plays. FIFA's World Cup protocol typically allows fans to display only current national flags from its 211 member federations.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
