Iran’s soccer federation hit back hard with a statement, calling Mullen’s remarks “FAKE” and an “outright and undeniable lie.” The statement said Mullen’s comments “represent a clear attempt to cover up discriminatory behavior and unreasonable restrictions imposed on the Iranian national team delegation.” (Eleven members of the team’s traveling party were denied U.S. visas for the World Cup). The federation called the U.S. a “law-breaking country.”
“All I can tell you is that Secretary Mullen is accurate,” Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA 2026 World Cup, tells TIME in a telephone interview on Sunday. “Every single day he is focused on the safety of the homeland, and Americans should sleep sound at night knowing that he is your Secretary of Homeland Security.”
The salvos come on the heels of complaints, made by the Iranian coaches and players, about the restrictions on their World Cup travel. During its first two games of the tournament, a 2-2 tie against New Zealand, also in Los Angeles, on June 15, and Sunday’s draw, Iran had to fly into Southern California from Mexico on the day before the game, and leave right after the final whistle. While it’s common for teams to return to their base camps following a game, the U.S. team, for example, flew from Irvine, Calif., to Seattle two days before its match against Australia on June 19, and Belgium was in L.A. two days before the Iran game.