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U.S. defends Iran World Cup travel restrictions, says discussions ongoing
Amir Ghalenoei said Iran had less than 16 hours in Los Angeles and missed 24-hour preparation time because of U.S. travel restrictions.
On Saturday, Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House Task Force, defended travel limits for Iran's team, requiring arrival at venues within 24 hours of fixtures and immediate return to their Tijuana base.
Giuliani defended shifting the team's training base from Tucson to Tijuana, reducing flight time by an hour, though Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei claimed his side were "the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup."
All Iranian players and coaches received visas, Giuliani confirmed, though some team officials were denied entry due to "derogatory information," while security officials report no credible threats "at this moment."
Officials will evaluate travel protocols following Sunday's match against Belgium in Los Angeles, determining if restrictions for Friday's game against Egypt in Seattle allow for more flexibility.
The U.S. intelligence community has "tripled down" on monitoring efforts since the start of the year, while Giuliani described the tournament as a celebration of America's 250th birthday.