Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj said on Wednesday that his country was "boycotting the United States" but "not the World Cup," with Team Melli's participation in the 2026 World Cup uncertain since the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran.

"We are preparing for the World Cup. We are boycotting the United States, we are not boycotting the World Cup," Mr. Taj said in a video broadcast by the Iranian news agency Fars.

The official also specified that the Iranian national team was to participate in a training camp in Turkey starting next week, the beginning of a window of international matches, with two friendlies on the program, without indicating the names of the opponents.

Since the start of the war launched jointly by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, Iranian leaders have been making numerous, sometimes contradictory, statements about the national team's participation in the World Cup (June 11-July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada), while Team Melli is scheduled to play its three first-round matches on American soil.

Iran is scheduled to face New Zealand and Belgium in the first round of the World Cup in Los Angeles, followed by Egypt in Seattle. Their tournament base camp is expected to be located in Tucson, Arizona.

After raising the threat of a boycott of the competition, Iranian officials now say they are ready to take part in the tournament but not in the United States.

The Iranian embassy in Mexico stated on Monday that the Iranian Football Federation was negotiating with FIFA to play its matches in Mexico. When questioned about this, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded on Tuesday that her country was ready to host Team Melli.

When contacted by AFP on Tuesday, FIFA indicated that it was "in regular contact with all participating federations, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, to discuss planning" for the World Cup.

But she did not confirm the possibility of relocating the matches from Iran, even saying she was "delighted" to see all the teams "play the tournament in accordance with the match schedule announced on December 6, 2025".

US President Donald Trump, for his part, stated on March 12 that Team Melli players would not be "safe" if they came to the United States.

"Iran's national team is welcome at the World Cup but I really don't think their presence is appropriate, for their own life and safety," he wrote on his Truth Social network.