STORY: Members of the Iranian World Cup delegation, whose visas to enter the United States were denied, met with the Mexican community in Tijuana Monday (June 15) to watch the Iran national team play its first match against New Zealand.

Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, who served as Iran’s supervisor in charge of squad operations at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar, was among 11 Iranian soccer federation members denied a visa to travel to the U.S. for the World Cup games.

Initially, 15 members of the delegation were denied visas by the US; in recent days, 4 of them were given visas.

Nabi and other members of the delegation joined Iran's ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandieh, to watch as Iran twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with the Kiwis in an exciting clash at Los Angeles Stadium.

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Iranians denied visas to enter U.S. with World Cup squad watch opening match from Mexico

VIDEO SHOWS: IRAN WORLD CUP SOCCER FEDERATION MEMBERS DENIED VISAS TO ENTER U.S. WATCH OPENING MATCH IN MEXICO

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: TIJUANA, MEXICO (JUNE 15, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. MEMBERS OF IRAN’S WORLD CUP TEAM DENIED VISAS TO ENTER UNITED STATES AT WATCH PARTY WITH IRAN'S AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO ABOLFAZL PASANDIDEH (THIRD FROM LEFT) AND MEMBERS FROM MEXICAN COMMUNITY CELEBRATING A GOAL BY IRAN

2. IRAN AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO, ABOLFAZL PASANDIDEH (ON LEFT), CHEERING GOAL WITH IRAN'S WORLD CUP TEAM SUPERVISOR, MEHDI MOHAMMAD NABI (SECOND FROM RIGHT WITH WHITE BEARD) AND OTHERS WHO WERE DENIED VISAS, CHEERING GOAL

3. WATCH PARTY ONGOING

4. MEHDI MOHAMMAD NABI WATCHING MATCH

5. GROUP WATCHING MATCH

6. (SOUNDBITE)(Farsi) IRAN’S WORLD CUP TEAM SUPERVISOR, MEHDI MOHAMMAD NABI, SAYING:

“I have a negative feeling, I feel bad, sad that I can’t be with the team, but I think our players and the team know very well that our hearts are with them and we will be their fans here.”

7. PASANDIDEH (RIGHT) WATCHING THE MATCH

8. VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF THE IRANIAN DELEGATION WHO DID NOT OBTAIN VISAS WATCHING THE GAME

9. (SOUNDBITE)(Farsi) IRAN’S WORLD CUP TEAM SUPERVISOR, MEHDI MOHAMMAD NABI, SAYING:

“We have faced many obstacles, our team has had many obstacles along the way, it has faced several challenges, but we are a very experienced team, we are professionals and we, on behalf of the management team, are going to do everything possible to ensure that the players are not distracted and that they concentrate fully on the game.”

10. VARIOUS OF WATCH PARTY

11. (SOUNDBITE)(FARSI) IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO, ABOLFAZL PASANDIDEH, SAYING:

“Our players do everything possible, they make every effort to show that they come here to make peace and participate in the World Cup.”

12. WATCH PARTY ONGOING

13. WATCH PARTY CELEBRATING IRAN GOAL