A couple of days following the report by Britain's "Sky" channel, which stated that 12 Middle Eastern football associations, spearheaded by Jordan, had petitioned FIFA to bar Israel from participating in any international contests, Iran declared that it had also dispatched an official letter to the World Football Association.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino © Mena Today
A couple of days following the report by Britain's "Sky" channel, which stated that 12 Middle Eastern football associations, spearheaded by Jordan, had petitioned FIFA to bar Israel from participating in any international contests, Iran declared that it had also dispatched an official letter to the World Football Association, calling for Israel's suspension.
As per the statement released on the Iranian football association's website, the Islamic Republic requested FIFA to "fully suspend the Zionist Federation from any football-related activities".
The announcement indicated that Iran anticipates "immediate and serious actions" from FIFA and its member nations to halt the perpetuation of "the crimes of the Zionists in Gaza".
Israel said on Thursday it was preparing for the reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt to let Palestinians in and out, but set no date as it traded blame with Hamas over violations of a U.S.-mediated ceasefire.
France condemned on Thursday the lengthy prison sentences given to two of its citizens for espionage, saying the charges were unfounded and the punishment arbitrary.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his government’s determination to secure the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza, stating Thursday that "the fight is not over" for Israel, two years after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.