Iran Captain Mehdi Taremi, coach Saeed Al-Hoi detained at US airport

Iran's national football team has accused US authorities of detaining captain Mehdi Taremi and assistant coach Saeed Al-Hoi at Tijuana International Airport, delaying the squad's travel to Seattle ahead of its decisive FIFA World Cup group-stage match against Egypt.

In a statement, the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) condemned the incident, saying Taremi and the assistant coach were subjected to lengthy questioning and held for an extended period before boarding their flight to the United States.

The federation said the rest of the squad refused to travel without their captain and assistant coach, remaining together inside the airport terminal in a show of solidarity, which delayed the team's departure.

The incident came just hours after US authorities had reportedly assured Iran that the team would be granted smooth entry into the country ahead of the match without unnecessary complications.

Describing the episode as "unjustified" and "deliberate harassment," the FFIRI claimed it was not an isolated case. The federation alleged that following Iran's group-stage match against New Zealand, Taremi and Al-Hoi were also detained for hours at Los Angeles International Airport during their return to Mexico, reportedly under the pretext of passport and visa checks.

The federation criticized the repeated delays, saying such treatment disrupted the team's preparations ahead of one of its most important matches of the tournament. US authorities have not yet publicly responded to the allegations.