Following female athletes defection Iran suggests male squad may boycott World Cup
The leader of the Iranian Football Association on Tuesday increased uncertainty regarding his nations involvement in this summers World Cup event stating that female competitors at the Asian Cup in Australia were pressured into seeking asylum.
"Should the World Cup proceed in this manner who would sensibly dispatch their national squad to such a location" Mehdi Taj questioned during an appearance on Iranian state broadcaster.
The mens World Cup tournament will take place in the United States Mexico and Canada though Iran has been assigned to contest all three group stage fixtures in the United States with two matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
The countrys involvement has faced ongoing questions ever since the United States and Israel initiated assaults on Iran prompting retaliatory actions from Tehran.
On Tuesday amid the Womens Asian Cup held in Australia members of Irans squad requested political refuge.
Five athletes including team captain Zahra Ghanbari quietly departed from their accommodation in the night to request protection from Australian authorities as confirmed by the Australian administration.
Local news outlets reported that at least two additional squad members submitted applications to remain later that day.
Prior to their initial defeat against South Korea several players were labelled as wartime deserters by Iranian state media for not vocalising during the national anthem.
All team members then stood at attention and performed the anthem in the subsequent two group encounters.
Iran suffered losses in both of those contests and exited the competition following a setback against the Philippines on Sunday.
Taj noted that the athletes had fulfilled their obligations regarding the anthem.
"The womens national team performed the national anthem and issued the military gesture" he asserted.
He pointed fingers at US President Donald Trump.
"The American leader personally published two messages on social media concerning the womens team encouraging them to seek refugee status".
"He warned Australia that should you refuse them refuge I shall provide it in the United States".
"Under these circumstances how can anyone feel positive about the World Cup set to occur in America"
Captured against will
Taj alleged that the five female athletes were abducted and the delegation encountered barriers while attempting to depart from Australia.
"Following the match regrettably Australian law enforcement arrived and interfered by extracting one or two athletes from the hotel based on the reports we received".
He alluded to a purported bombing of a school in Minab early in the conflict which Iran attributes to Israel and the US.
"They killed our young women in Minab numbering 160 and now in this episode they are seizing our women captive" Taj declared.
"They committed an outrageous act Last night certain individuals positioned themselves in the path of the vehicle transporting them to the airport" he added.
Protesters assembled outside the Gold Coast venue for the Philippines match playing drums and calling for Iranian regime overthrow as observed by an AFP correspondent.
Demonstrators encircled the Iranian team transport vehicle shouting let them go and save our sisters.
Taj mentioned that the group faced difficulties accessing their flight at the airport.
"Authorities fully obstructed them at the departure point and urged all to apply for refugee status".