Iran striker Azmoun kicked off national team for disloyalty, say reports

March 20 : Sardar Azmoun, one of Iran's top soccer players, has been expelled from the national team for a perceived act of disloyalty to the government, Iranian media has reported, making it unlikely he will play any part in the World Cup.

Iran's participation in the World Cup as a whole is under a cloud because of the ongoing conflict with the United States, who are co-hosting the June 11-July 19 tournament with Mexico and Canada.

If Team Melli do turn up for their opening-round group matches, they will undoubtedly be weakened by the absence of striker Azmoun, who has scored 57 goals in 91 internationals since making his debut as a teenager in 2014.  

Azmoun, who plays his club football in the United Arab Emirates for Shabab Al-Ahli, upset the Iranian authorities this week by posting a picture on his Instagram feed of a meeting with Dubai's ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Iran has launched rocket and drone attacks on the UAE following air strikes by the United States and Israel, which killed the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.  

A report on the Fars News Agency, which has links to the hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, cited "an informed source within the national team" as saying Azmoun had been expelled from the squad.

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Azmoun later removed the pictures but was still lambasted on state TV on Thursday with football pundit Mohammad Misaghi saying the striker's actions had been an act of disloyalty.

"It's unfortunate that you don't have enough sense to understand what kind of behaviour is appropriate at a given time," Misaghi said.

"We should not mince words with such people. They should be told that they are not worthy of wearing the national team jersey.

"We have no patience for