Iran announce winger Torabi receives multi entry visa for World Cup matches

The Iran national squad are travelling from their competition base in the Mexican border town of Tijuana for their three World Cup group matches, the initial two in Los Angeles and the final one in Seattle.

The FFIRI stated earlier on Tuesday that whereas most of the squad held multi entry visas, Torabi's was only valid for a single entry and they were attempting to secure another for him prior to Iran's second group encounter against Belgium on Sunday.

"Following endeavours by the Football Federation and liaison with FIFA, the player was granted a new multiple entry visa today," the FFIRI announced in a statement later on Tuesday.

"With this visa now obtained, Torabi will have no difficulties accompanying Iran's national team in their forthcoming matches and will be available to journey with the squad for the rest of the tournament."

Torabi, who was an unused substitute in Monday's 2-2 draw against New Zealand, is a fervent supporter of the Iranian government and maintains connections with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

During the 2019 anti-government demonstrations, he wore a T shirt on the field during a club fixture that read: "The only way to save the country is to obey the leadership."

The 31 year old was also a frequent attendee at evening pro-government rallies in Tehran's Valiasr Square which occurred following US and Israeli air strikes on the Islamic Republic that sparked a regional conflict in late February.

The US government designates the IRGC as a "terrorist organisation", and Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that it would not permit anyone with connections to the elite military force to enter the country alongside the players.

Iran's World Cup team supervisor Mahdi Mohammad Nabi was among 15 FFIRI officials who were refused visas to travel to the US for the World Cup matches.

This was scheduled to be the first World Cup where a host nation welcomed a country with which it was at war, until a peace agreement was announced just 24 hours before Monday's fixture.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei stated that the travel disruption resulting from tensions between Iran and the US had "oppressed" his players and impacted their performance against New Zealand.