Iran players: U.S. visa policies creating World Cup 'tension' - ESPN

TIJUANA, Mexico — Iran national team forward Mehdi Taremi said that steps the U.S. government has taken regarding the denial of visas and preventing a Somali referee from entering the country are hurting the country's image and creating a «lot of tension» around the World Cup.

The team's participation in the World Cup, which begins Thursday and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, has been complicated by the Iran war.

Iran arrived at their training camp in Mexico on Sunday morning from the Turkish city of Antalya on a private jet.

Team Melli were originally going to have their World Cup training base in Tucson, Arizona, but at FIFA's suggestion, agreed to move their site to the Mexican border city of Tijuana.

While the move allowed Iran's entire contingent of players and staff to travel to Mexico, 14 staff members were denied visas to enter the United States.

All three of Iran's group stage games will be held in the U.S.

«I've been to three World Cups and they always say once you get off the plane and you enter the host country, there's just a unique atmosphere of friendliness and global-ness,» Taremi, who was part of the Inter Milan team that lost last season's Champions League final, told ESPN with the help of a translator.

«Unfortunately, I'm not feeling it right now. There's a lot of tension right now in this World Cup. You feel it in the atmosphere and unfortunately, it's because of actions like [visa denials]. Maybe that's just my personal feeling.»

Iran play their first two games in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on Monday and Belgium six days later. They then head to Seattle to face Egypt on June 26.

Iran and the U.S. could meet in the round of 32 on July 3 in Arlington,