World Cup ban threat amid doubts over Iran

Iran look set to withdraw from the forthcoming FIFA World Cup amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The nation's sports minister said on Wednesday that the team "under no circumstances" could compete in the tournament which gets under way in the USA, Canada and Mexico later this year.

Ahmad Donyamali made the claim after weeks of US air strikes on Iran which have killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup," the minister told state television.

"Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist," Donyamali said.

"Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people. Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence."

Iran are grouped with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in Group G for the World Cup and all their group stage clashes are scheduled to be played in the USA.

Should Iran withdraw from the tournament they will be fined over $500,000 and face being banned from future tournaments.

If the USA elected not to welcome Iran to the tournament they would be dropped as hosts.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino insists US President Donald Trump is comfortable for Iran to compete in the tournament.

“We also spoke about the current situation in Iran,” Infantino wrote on Instagram.

“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.

“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to ⁠bring people together now more than ever, and I ⁠sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support, as it shows once again that Football Unites the World."