He emphasized that the primary motivation behind the strict scrutiny was maintaining domestic safety throughout the multi-city event.
"The reason Sec.
Mullin said what he said, is because he's extremely focused on protecting the United States and all the international visitors coming here," claimed Giuliani.
Host Jim White then directly asked whether the administration formally classified the entire athletic delegation as an active national security threat to the host nation.
"We processed all 31 players to be on the pitch, we processed all the coaches, everybody who was on the pitch, we got them on there," answered Giuliani.
He reiterated that security concerns were confined to non-playing personnel trying to enter the country under the guise of the tournament.
"What I'm telling you, is they had officials that had direct ties to the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), who were communicating and coordinating with them," added Giuliani.
When pressed by the broadcasters to present concrete intelligence or documentation proving these alleged terror links, the official declined to share classified material.
"I'm not going to pull out my binder and show you (the evidence)," replied Giuliani.
He invoked long-standing historical tensions between Washington and Tehran to justify the high-level surveillance and visa blocks.
"Let me ask you a question: Seriously, do you guys actually not believe that a country that has been saying, 'Death to America' for 47 years and has killed Americans on the battlefield over the last 25 years… that they actually would not be doing that?"
