Latest Slidescroller coverage mentioning Mehdi Taj across Soccer, Football.
An investigation reveals how Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps manipulates national football, threatens players, and exploits the sport for propaganda, prompting U.S. visa restrictions.
A 0‑0 draw with Belgium gave Iran a point, but a discovered letter referencing victims of a U.S. airstrike added a somber layer to the team's campaign.
The Just Goals tournament, now in its fourth year, brings together former and current ICE detainees, lawyers, and volunteers for a soccer competition that raises over $16,000 while confronting visa hurdles and detention challenges.
After a forced early departure from Los Angeles, Iran’s national team confronts a cascade of visa rejections, a relocated base camp, and criticism from captain Mehdi Taremi over insufficient support.
Despite visa complications and demonstrations, Iran's national football squad arrives in the United States for the World Cup, riding the wave of a newly announced peace agreement and a coach's hope for unity.
Veteran Iranian striker Khodadad Azizi, who witnessed the historic 1998 Iran‑USA World Cup match, urges that football remain a conduit for peace and warns against the growing political tension surrounding the tournament co‑hosted by the United States.
Iran's national football team touched down in Los Angeles ahead of their World Cup opener against New Zealand, a match overshadowed by protests and diplomatic strain.
Iran’s national football team arrived in Los Angeles for the World Cup opener against New Zealand, confronting a charged atmosphere shaped by recent U.S.-Iran tensions, a relocated training base in Mexico, and mixed reactions from diaspora communities.
Veteran striker Khodadad Azizi urges that football remain a force for peace, warning that politics should stay out of the beautiful game as Iran readies for its World Cup campaign.
A recent investigation by the National Council of Resistance of Iran alleges that the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has woven surveillance equipment into the fabric of its soccer leagues, turning stadiums into de facto monitoring stations and raising concerns about privacy, political repression, and potential violations of FIFA statutes.
Iran’s national football team arrived in Tijuana wearing pins honoring 168 victims of a school attack, while facing visa delays that have forced a change in training location ahead of their U.S.-based group‑stage fixtures.
The Iranian men's national team landed in Mexico on Sunday, but visa hurdles for several support staff, tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, threaten to disrupt their tournament build‑up.
The Iranian national side arrived in Tijuana under a cloud of visa uncertainty, with several members denied entry, while Iraq's striker Aymen Hussein was detained in Chicago, highlighting a broader diplomatic strain.
Iran’s national football team arrived in Tijuana ahead of the tournament, but a U.S. visa dispute has forced a reshuffle of plans and sparked a political row.
While Iran’s national team receives clearance to enter the United States for the FIFA World Cup, a cascade of visa denials for officials and journalists has ignited diplomatic tension and highlighted broader anxieties about press freedom.
Despite visa approvals for Iran’s World Cup squad, administrative delays, diplomatic friction and media restrictions cast a long shadow over the tournament’s opening.
The Iranian Football Federation denounced the United States for refusing visas to several support staff ahead of the 2026 World Cup, describing the move as unsportsmanlike and politically motivated, while US Ambassador Tom Barrack confirmed that visas have been issued for the players.
Visa complications, a relocated training camp and diplomatic exchanges shape the Iranian team’s journey to the World Cup, with key officials still awaiting entry clearance.
Despite visa hurdles and diplomatic rebukes, Iran’s national team has shifted its training base to Tijuana and is set to play in Inglewood, Seattle and other U.S. venues, while FIFA’s updated water‑bottle policy and stadium sustainability efforts add a modern twist to the competition.
The Iranian national team’s preparation for the World Cup has been complicated by visa delays, a relocated training camp and political accusations, prompting a complaint to FIFA and a reshaped roster.
Iran's national football team departed for Mexico amid a dispute over U.S. visa applications, with key staff still awaiting entry and the federation accusing Washington of vindictive behavior. The squad, reshaped after a training location change, is set to play New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt across the United States, while political rhetoric from both sides intensifies.
Despite lingering visa delays and geopolitical strain, Iran's national football team is pressing ahead with preparations for the upcoming World Cup, with key matches scheduled across the United States.
Iran’s national football team faces visa hurdles, moves its training base to Tijuana, and readies for matches against New Zealand and Belgium on U.S. soil.
The Iranian national football team departed Turkey for Mexico ahead of the World Cup, confronting a cascade of visa issues, a relocated training base, and diplomatic protests while gearing up for games against New Zealand, Belgium and a possible showdown with the United States.