00:00Iran's World Cup Demands
00:01Politics, Security, and a Tense Summer Tournament
00:07Introduction
00:07This year's FIFA World Cup is set to be held across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
00:14Amid heightened tensions with the host countries, particularly the United States,
00:19Iran has indicated it will participate in the tournament this summer.
00:22However, Tehran has demanded strict guarantees from both FIFA and the tournament hosts.
00:28The Iranian Football Federation, known as the FFIRI,
00:33has stated that Iran will compete in the tournament without compromising Iranian beliefs and culture.
00:39At the same time, it insists that the host country must take into account the concerns of the visiting nation.
00:46The Diplomatic Backdrop
00:48These demands come after Iran's president, Masoud Pazeshkian, was denied entry to Canada in April.
00:54He later revealed that Iran has set conditions for its participation in the World Cup,
00:59which begins on June 11th in the United States.
01:02The 10-point demand, issued in a statement on Saturday, covers a range of issues.
01:07Among them is a request to ensure that all players, coaches, and officials traveling with the team
01:13receive visas that allow them to complete their military service obligations
01:17with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRGC.
01:22The IRGC is registered as a foreign terrorist organization in both Canada and the United States.
01:30Pazeshkian's ties to the group were cited as a reason for his being denied entry into Canada.
01:35Symbolic and security demands
01:38Iran is also seeking waivers for its national team regarding the display of the Iranian flag
01:43and the playing of the national anthem.
01:46Additionally, Tehran has demanded that security be guaranteed for its delegation
01:50from the moment they arrive at the airport, throughout their stay at hotels,
01:55and inside stadiums during the tournament.
01:58Some of these proposals are relatively easy for FIFA to address.
02:02FIFA can help oversee the conduct of the tournament, official protocols, and the treatment of delegations.
02:07However, other demands are difficult for the United States to accommodate
02:12because they involve border controls, an area under U.S. jurisdiction, not FIFA's.
02:18The U.S. Position
02:20On this issue, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has stated
02:24that Iranian players will be welcome at the tournament.
02:28However, he warned that anyone associated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
02:34could face restrictions on entry into the United States.
02:38This leaves FIFA in a difficult position,
02:40as the organization tries to provide assurances that it will do its best
02:44to separate Tehran from the political landscape of Washington.
02:49The Ongoing Conflict
02:50The tensions are not abstract.
02:53The United States launched a major attack on Iran on February 23rd.
02:58Iran has also responded by attacking Israel and U.S. allies in the Gulf
03:03since fighting was temporarily halted.
03:05A ceasefire between the two sides is currently being negotiated.
03:10Sensitive lines between football and politics
03:12Some of Iran's other proposals could be difficult to implement.
03:17Iranian officials are reported to have asked reporters to avoid questions on any topics
03:21other than purely technical issues.
03:23But in Iran's case, the line between football and politics is often blurred,
03:29making the situation even more sensitive.
03:32Questions surrounding the selection of teams and public support for the team are frequently raised.
04:07A recent precedent
04:07that the political atmosphere surrounding Iran is very tense.
04:11Although tensions are high,
04:13he said there is no indication that Iran intends to withdraw from the tournament.
04:17However, he noted that the latest developments suggest negotiations are currently underway
04:22between FIFA and U.S. authorities over the terms of Iran's participation in the biggest sporting event in history.
04:29Iran's World Cup History
04:32Iran has qualified for the World Cup four times in a row,
04:35bringing its total appearances to seven since the tournament began.
04:40Despite seven appearances,
04:42Iran has never advanced to the knockout stage.
04:44The team is currently ranked 21st in the world
04:47and has lost only one match in the Asian Cup.
04:51Terrorism threats and security concerns
04:53The World Cup, which is being held across the United States,
04:57faces a growing threat from terrorism.
04:59This is the view of experts who have warned that vulnerabilities are being exacerbated
05:03by the U.S.-Iran standoff
05:05and a decline in counterterrorism expertise within federal law enforcement.
05:11Four counterterrorism experts spoke with Declassified,
05:14stating that the biggest threat to the tournament
05:16is the threat to the United States and its allies.
05:20The most likely culprits, they said,
05:22are local extremists,
05:24often lone-wolf actors who can become radicalized online
05:27and develop extreme political views.
05:30Javed Ali,
05:31a former FBI and Homeland Security intelligence officer
05:35and former National Security Council counterterrorism director,
05:39said that security must protect not just individual locations,
05:42but also all the links leading up to the games.
05:46The tournament requires significant resources to counter threats and risks.
05:51Security preparations.
05:53In March, the FBI held a training session at its largest headquarters
05:57on how to prevent domestic violence during major events, including the World Cup.
06:02At that meeting, officials said all threats must be addressed.
06:06However, one federal law enforcement team member,
06:10speaking on condition of anonymity,
06:12said it is very difficult to control the atmosphere and locations,
06:16especially during large gatherings.
06:18There is a real possibility of something bad happening.
06:21The tournament will feature a total of 104 games.
06:25The United States will host 78 games
06:27in cities including Atlanta, Boston, Houston,
06:31Los Angeles, New York, and other locations.
06:35The Department of Homeland Security has announced
06:37that the final match will be held at the MetLife Stadium
06:40in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
06:43Security Operations.
06:45The largest special operations force in the security sector will be involved.
06:49This includes an expansion of the U.S. Secret Service,
06:52emergency response teams,
06:54and the most robust security operations
06:56with surveillance,
06:58temporary flight restrictions,
06:59allowing the Federal Aviation Administration
07:01to counter and monitor drones,
07:03as well as counterterrorism teams
07:05across federal, state, and local governments.
07:09FEMA has announced a budget of $125 million
07:12in support of security for the event
07:14and for emergency preparedness during the World Cup.
07:18The Iran-U.S. matchup.
07:21Federal law enforcement officials have also noted
07:24that there is a possibility
07:26that the United States will face Iran
07:28in a group stage match.
07:30Such a match could take place on July 3rd,
07:33just before Independence Day.
07:35A large presence of security personnel is expected,
07:38as hotels in the area
07:39are already fully booked for that time.
07:41will be maledict ノ
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