The United States has eased travel restrictions on Iran’s World Cup team, allowing the squad to enter the country two days before its next match against Egypt in Seattle, US officials said on Tuesday.

Under the revised arrangement, Iran’s team will travel from its base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, to Seattle on Wednesday ahead of Friday’s Group Stage fixture. The team will still be required to leave the United States after the match, according to the US Department of Homeland Security.

Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, said the decision followed a review of Iran’s earlier travel movements during the tournament.

“We were going to look at how the first two movements went, and if they went smoothly, we would extend the extra day in light of the longer travel time,” Giuliani told The Associated Press.

The policy shift comes as officials from Washington and Tehran continue negotiations over ending the conflict in Iran.

Iran’s squad has repeatedly criticised the travel restrictions imposed on the team since the outbreak of war. The federation had sought to play its group-stage matches in Mexico and moved its base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana. Several team officials and support staff members have also been denied entry into the United States.

For Iran’s first two matches in Los Angeles, the team was permitted to travel only on the eve of each game, leaving players with less than 24 hours to prepare on site. Following Sunday’s goalless draw with Belgium, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said the travel demands had placed his team at a disadvantage.

Iran had requested additional time to acclimatise and recover, particularly ahead of the nearly 1,930-kilometre journey to Seattle, where the team is scheduled to train on Thursday at the University of Washington.

Players have also complained of lengthy border procedures between Tijuana and Los Angeles. Team captain Mehdi Taremi said a normally short flight took around five hours before Iran’s opening match against New Zealand.

The federation has meanwhile rejected allegations by US Homeland Security official Markwayne Mullin that an individual linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard had attempted to enter the United States with the team, calling the claim “an outright and undeniable lie.”

It remains unclear whether Egypt, Iran’s next opponent, will receive similar travel accommodations. Egypt had requested permission to fly directly to Seattle following its victory over New Zealand but was denied due to security and logistical concerns, FIFA said. (Arise News)

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