Iranian Soccer Officials Denied Entry to Canada for FIFA Congress Amid Tensions
Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj and other officials were denied entry to Canada for the FIFA Congress due to their past affiliations with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Canada designates as a terrorist organization. Despite being granted a Temporary Resident Permit, Taj and his colleagues were sent back upon arrival in Toronto. The denial is part of ongoing tensions between Canada and Iran, exacerbated by the 2020 incident where the IRGC shot down a Ukrainian airliner, killing 176 people, including Canadians. The FIFA Congress is taking place in Vancouver, with Iran absent from the Asian Football Confederation meeting due to these visa issues. 
