Iran will boycott the US but not the World Cup, country’s football head says

Iran celebrate after securing qualification for the World Cup last year but their participation is now in doubt. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

Iran will “boycott the United States” but “not the World Cup”, the Iranian football federation president, Mehdi Taj, said in a video released by the Iranian press agency Fars.

Iran are scheduled to play their group matches in the US in this summer’s tournament. “We will be preparing for the World Cup,” Taj said. “We will boycott the United States but not the World Cup.”