Iran’s Sports Minister: Nation Will Not Compete in World Cup Amid US Attacks

Tehran, Iran — Iran will not participate in the upcoming World Cup, the country’s sports minister announced Monday, citing ongoing US attacks as the reason for withdrawal. The brief statement, carried in the 2:14 p.m. EDT AP Sports SummaryBrief, did not specify the nature or location of the attacks but made clear that the decision is effective immediately.

The minister’s declaration marks a rare instance of a national team pulling out of global sport’s most-watched tournament for geopolitical reasons. No further details on alternative plans or potential replacements were provided.

Iran’s absence will force tournament organizers to reconfigure group-stage pairings and could have ripple effects across qualifying pathways. Officials from FIFA have yet to respond publicly.