Iran Demands FIFA Show ’Israel’ ‘Red Card’ over Deadly Imposed War

By Staff, Agencies

The president of the Iranian Football Federation says the body has demanded that FIFA expel the "Israeli" entity from the body over its deadly imposed war against the Islamic Republic last month, which featured deadly and destructive attacks on Iranian athletes and sports-related facilities.

Mehdi Taj made the remarks in a televised interview on Monday, saying the federation has conveyed the request in a letter addressed to Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, senior vice-president of the FIFA Council.

“The 'Israelis' attacked our territorial integrity, they attacked the Football Federation itself, they attacked the national team’s training camp, and they martyred our referee,” he said.

“Thirty of our country’s [football] players suffered injuries during the attacks,” the official added.

“We wrote that a decision must be made on this matter. We also wrote to FIFA, itself, stating that 'Israel' should be shown a red card and expelled from the body."

The entity launched the war on June 13, carrying out heavily indiscriminate attacks against various targets across the Islamic Republic.

The aggression claimed the lives of at least 1,062 Iranians, including 100 athletes, some of whom were of a very young age.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Taj expressed skepticism regarding the US attitude towards Iranians in the 2026 World Cup, which is to be jointly hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico.

"America is, in any case, America. It is hostile toward our country and bears a deep-seated animosity,” the official noted.

“There is absolutely no doubt about this. No one should be optimistic [about its behavior]. They will carry out any act of mischief they are capable of."

Taj went on to list a number of expected instances of behavior on the part of American officials vis-à-vis potential Iranian attendants.

He said Washington could go as far as refusing visas to the Iranian individuals accompanying the players and the national team’s staff to the US.

“There is also a chance they might try to humiliate us,” he added, saying American officials could also ask the national team to play its matches in a third country.