The Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran has accused the United States of spreading lies and mistreatment after a senior US official publicly celebrated Iran's elimination from the World Cup.
US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin made the remarks during a briefing at the government's special event coordination center in Washington on Monday.
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"I'm just glad they're [Iran] done, and they're not coming back," Mullin said.
He added that the team's extensive visa process interactions contributed to his reaction, saying he may have sung or danced out of joy.
An unnamed spokesperson for the Iranian federation countered that the comments reflect a disregard for host nation principles and international law.
"Iranians are used to the mistreatment and lies of US officials, so no one in Iran is surprised by these hostile remarks," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson argued that openly celebrating Iran's elimination reveals an inability to tolerate the team's presence at the global event.
"The fact that he openly celebrates Iran's elimination says far more about him than it does about our team," the spokesperson added.
The federation linked the situation to earlier complaints from the team's leadership during the group stage.
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Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei had frequently criticized tournament conditions, noting that 11 delegation members, including federation president Mehdi Taj, were denied US visas.
The team was also forced to relocate its training camp from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, just before the competition due to travel constraints.
After a draw against Egypt in Seattle, Iran captain Mehdi Taremi expressed similar frustrations.
"We have to fight against everything here," Taremi said, suggesting an external desire to see them fail.
Upon leaving their temporary base in Mexico, the Iranian delegation left a handwritten note thanking the local community while questioning the fairness of the competition.
"You showed us that hosting a Fifa World Cup is about far more than stadiums and tickets," the note read.
It concluded: "True hosting is about respect, humanity, and dignity.
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We leave this World Cup with pride, but also with one fundamental question: Did every team truly compete under equal conditions and equal professional standards?"
