The United States has confirmed it will not relax travel restrictions for the Iranian national football team during their World Cup matches, despite the team's expressed dissatisfaction. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the tournament, stated that the original travel plan for the Iranian squad remains in effect.

Iran has been subject to limitations that require them to travel to match venues within 24 hours of their fixtures and depart immediately afterward back to their training base in Tijuana, Mexico. This policy has drawn criticism, with coach Amir Ghalenoei describing his team as "the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup." Following their opening match against New Zealand, the Iranian delegation reportedly returned to Mexico within hours of the game's conclusion, impacting the team's recovery process.

Giuliani indicated that the situation is subject to ongoing assessment, particularly concerning Iran's subsequent matches. The team was scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles on Saturday evening for their fixture against Belgium on Sunday, approximately 24 hours before kickoff. This adheres to the existing protocol.

Earlier in the tournament, Iran faced a visa issue when winger Mehdi Torabi's entry visa expired after the first game. The US Department of State confirmed that a new, multiple-entry visa had been secured for Torabi, resolving that specific concern and allowing him to travel for future matches.

Giuliani elaborated on the current travel plan, stating that after the Belgium match, the team would make the short flight back to Tijuana. He noted that discussions would take place after the second game to determine the arrangements for Iran's third match against Egypt in Seattle.

He also defended the existing measures, suggesting that the team's pre-tournament decision to shift their training base from Tucson to Tijuana had inadvertently reduced their overall travel time. This adjustment, he implied, had already factored into the logistical considerations for the team.

The restrictions have led to significant disruption for the Iranian squad, who had hoped to spend the night in California to facilitate normal recovery after their initial World Cup game. The team's departure from the US so soon after their first match highlighted the impact of the travel limitations.

As the tournament progresses, the US authorities will continue to monitor the situation. The upcoming discussions will focus on the specific arrangements for Iran's final group stage match, with the team's performance and recovery potentially influenced by these ongoing logistical decisions.