Markwayne Mullin ‘did a happy dance’ over Iran’s World Cup exit | OneFootball

Markwayne Mullin, the US Secretary of Homeland Security, welcomed Iran’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup, saying he even celebrated it. Sports Business Journal reports he raised the subject at a meeting in Washington on Monday.

Team Melli went out at the group stage as the ninth-best third-placed team.

Mullin expressed relief that the squad were departing, saying there was no team the department had dealt with more. He added that once visas were secured and they were told they could leave US soil, he may have sung and even performed a small celebratory dance.

He also maintained that, in his view, almost half of the people Iran sought to bring had direct links to the Revolutionary Guards.

Iran’s campaign was shaped by visa hurdles and a late ban on setting up their base in the United States, forcing a last-minute move to Mexico despite all group matches being played on US soil. Visas arrived only days before kick-off and not for the entire delegation, and the team were permitted to remain in the US for only 24 hours around each match.

The federation lodged a complaint with FIFA and later argued it had been the worst treated team at the tournament. Tensions between the countries stem from the war between the United States-Israel coalition and Iran that has lasted since February.

Source: L'Équipe