Ringkasan Berita:
- Iran’s national football team used its Instagram account to respond to a threat from former US President Donald Trump regarding the 2026 World Cup.
- Iran urged the US to self-reflect and withdraw from the 2026 World Cup.
- Previously, Donald Trump stated that the Iranian national team was welcome to participate in the 2026 World Cup if they disregarded their own safety and lives.
Teknowarta – The Iranian national football team has delivered a sharp rebuke to former United States President Donald Trump following his remarks about their potential participation in the 2026 World Cup.
Trump had previously issued what many perceived as a veiled threat concerning Iran’s involvement in the prestigious 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. He suggested that while the Iranian national team was welcome to take part in the global event, they should be prepared to risk their own safety and lives.
These comments surfaced just two days after Trump reportedly told FIFA President Gianni Infantino that Iranian players would be accepted, even amidst ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Speaking on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated, “The Iranian National Football Team is welcome to participate in the World Cup, but I truly do not believe that it is appropriate for them to be there, for their own lives and safety.”
Balasan Menohok Iran
In swift response to Trump’s provocative tone, the Iranian national team’s official Instagram account posted an equally emphatic statement. In their update on Friday, March 13th, early WIB, they conveyed that Iran sees no reason to fear or withdraw from the 2026 World Cup.
Far from being intimidated or swayed towards withdrawal, Iran appeared to deliver a lesson to Donald Trump, asserting that no national team can be arbitrarily excluded by another country. This was a direct challenge to what Iran perceived as the United States attempting to interfere and remove them from the 2026 World Cup.
Through its social media post, the Iranian national team countered by suggesting that a different nation might be more deserving of exclusion from the major FIFA event: one that, despite holding the title of ‘host,’ cannot guarantee the safety and security of other participating nations.
“The World Cup is a historic and international event, and the body that governs it is FIFA, not any individual or country,” the Iranian national team’s statement read on social media. “The Iranian national team, with the strength and a series of important victories achieved by the brave sons of Iran, is among the first teams to qualify for this major tournament.”
“Of course, no one can remove the Iranian national team from the World Cup. The only country that might have to be removed is a country that holds the title of ‘host’ but does not have the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event.”
The ongoing conflict, which intensified following a US-Israel attack on February 28, has indeed cast a shadow of doubt over Iran’s participation in the upcoming men’s summer World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
This isn’t the first time Trump has commented on Iranian athletes facing political tensions. Previously, he spoke out regarding Iranian women’s football players who visited Australia, advocating for them to be granted asylum. These players had expressed fears of retaliation in their home country for not singing the national anthem before an Asia Cup match. Australia subsequently agreed to grant asylum to the five players who chose to remain.