Markwayne Mullin, Secretary of Homeland Security in Donald Trump’s cabinet, expressed clear delight after the Iranian national football team failed to advance past the group stage of the World Cup in the United States. Mullin said: “I’m just glad they’re done and that they’re not coming back.” He said he was very happy when the Iranians’ visas were revoked, “and I may have sung a song or two or maybe even done a happy dance.”
The Iranian team narrowly missed advancing to the knockout round. Earlier, the squad faced significant entry restrictions: the Trump administration had issued visas only for short periods, forcing players to enter the United States from their base in Tijuana, Mexico, for each group match.
Iran’s football federation responded swiftly to the remarks. In a statement, it said: “Iranians are used to mistreatment and lies from US officials, so no one in Iran is surprised by these hostile comments.” The United States, it added, had once again demonstrated that it failed to meet the requirements of a host nation. Tehran’s Minister Abbas Araghtschi wrote on X: “‘Mission accomplished,’ Mr. Mullin. You have achieved something else: you have proven to the world that you are incapable of hosting an international tournament. Your behavior was a textbook example of how to squander the dignity that comes with the role of host.”
Source: www.tagesspiegel.de
