Iran’s Mehdi Taremi Says He Does Not Feel the “Warmth and Unity” of the World Cup

Iran forward Mehdi Taremi said the atmosphere around the 2026 World Cup does not match the usual image of a welcoming tournament, as his team prepares to open its campaign in two days against New Zealand. Taremi, who said this is his third World Cup, told Italian media that players are often told they should feel “warmth and unity” when they arrive in the host country, but “right now I do not feel it.” He added, “There is clearly a lot of tension,” while insisting that sport and politics should stay separate.

Taremi said football should stand for “respect, peace and unity,” and argued that the World Cup, with a global audience of billions, can promote those values and help push the world toward “no conflicts, not only for Iran but for everyone.” He said any country hosting a World Cup must follow FIFA regulations and fulfill its responsibilities as host, which is what he meant by keeping politics out of sport.

Iran is currently training in Mexico before entering the United States for its first match, and Taremi said the team has not felt the kind of reception it expected. When asked what message he and the squad want to send, he replied that they want to convey peace through their play and through Iranian culture, which he described as very rich but often misrepresented by the media.

Taremi said Iranians are proud simply that the national team has reached the tournament and is competing under these conditions. But he stressed that pride must now turn into results: “Now, after the pride, we also need to make them happy, and that means winning matches.” No official response had been published.