US says Iran tried to bring IRGC operative via World Cup

The United States government has accused Iran of attempting to infiltrate operatives linked to its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) into the country under the cover of its World Cup soccer delegation. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin made the allegation on Sunday, June 21, 2026.

Mullin stated that an individual posing as the president of Iran's football federation attempted to board the team's flight from Tijuana, Mexico, to Los Angeles on Saturday, June 20. He said U.S. authorities identified the person as having direct ties to the IRGC and prevented him from boarding. The secretary did not publicly name the individual. In response, the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) issued a statement calling the claim "an outright and undeniable lie" and "entirely baseless allegations." The federation's president is Mehdi Taj.

The incident is part of broader U.S. restrictions on the Iranian team's travel during the tournament. Mullin said the U.S. denied entry to more than half of Iran's proposed 100-plus person delegation, approving only 53 individuals. He asserted that many of those denied also had direct ties to the IRGC and were not part of the...