Iran have faced a number of issues since travelling to North America to compete at the 2026 World Cup.
They kicked off their Group G campaign earlier this week, facing New Zealand at the Los Angeles Stadium.
Following that game, which ended 2-2, Iran manager Amir Ghalenoei said the team was told ‘You have to leave immediately’.
Now, Paulo Alexandre Araujo, a physiotherapist who is working with the Iranian national team during this summer’s tournament, has detailed the problems the squad faced after they arrived in the United States.
Iran players were ‘surrounded by guys with machine guns’ at airport in USA, says team medic
As quoted by The New York Times, Araujo revealed: “There were so many unfair things, you know.
“When you get players waiting in the airport, like two, three hours, and arriving and being surrounded by guys with machine guns and all this, they are not used to it.
He continued by mentioning how players were only able to take ice baths for around a minute, rather than his preferred 12-minute option, after taking on New Zealand because they were told to leave.
Araujo said: “It’s like throw them in [the ice bath], come out and take a shower, and go fast because the information was that we have to leave immediately.
“It took more than three hours to get inside the plane.
“Nobody cares. This is no way to treat sportsmen when you talk about fair competition.”
Iran will be back at the Los Angeles Stadium later this week when they take on Belgium in their second group match of the World Cup.
They will then make the trip to Seattle Stadium for their final Group G match of the summer against Egypt.
It remains to be seen if Iran will make it into the Round of 32, but if they do progress into the knockout phase, there is a chance they face the USA at the World Cup.
That would require both the USMNT and Iran to finish second in their respective groups.
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