Ukraine are set to request to FIFA to have Iran banned from competing in the World Cup amid reports the Middle-Eastern country is supplying Russia with weapons.
This comes after claims were made that Iran should be removed from the tournament over women's rights, with England their first opponents. Several protests against the regime have unfolded since Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, died after being detained for allegedly breaking strict hijab rules.
Russia invaded Ukraine back in February and a war has raged over the nation since. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Iranian "kamizake" drones have been used in Russian strikes on his nation, with the British government set to impose further sanctions on Iran.
Earlier this month, Shahktar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin asked FIFA to ban Iran from the upcoming tournament and replace them with Ukraine, who failed to qualify after losing against Wales in the World Cup play-off final. England's opening game in Qatar is against Iran on November 21 - in just three weeks' time.
Now, according to Sky Sports, Ukraine have submitted a formal enquiry to the top football governing body get Iran banned from playing in the competition. Alongside supplying weapons to Russia, Iran have broken FIFA laws on human rights and discrimination - enough that could see them removed.
In a statement, Palkin said on October 24: "This will be a fair decision that should draw the attention of the whole world to a regime that kills its best people and helps kill Ukrainians. The vacant place should be taken by the national team of Ukraine, which proved that it is worthy of participation in the mundial [World Cup]. With unequal conditions with other national teams during the play-offs, they played with their heart.
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"This decision is historically and sportingly justified. I urge everyone to join the pressure on the football bureaucracy. It is enough to repeat the mistakes of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, hiding behind the empty thesis about the apolitically of sports. Facilitating the participation of terrorists in the World Cup is politics. It’s time to put an end to such a policy."
Ukraine narrowly failed to qualify for the competition after losing 1-0 against Wales in June following Gareth Bale's first-half effort. Ukraine had beaten Scotland 3-1 to reach the play-off final in June - three months after the tie was initially scheduled to take place due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Meanwhile, Russia are banned from entering FIFA and UEFA competitions due to their invasion of Ukraine. This includes domestic clubs, including Spartak Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg.
