Iran says staff blocked from entering US after players given World Cup visas

Iranian officials say technical staff have been denied visas, hours after the US said players could enter the country.

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US officials said visas had been issued to players and "necessary support staff" on Friday, 10 days before Iran's opening fixture in Los Angeles on 15 June.

It also said Iran would not be allowed to "abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences".

Iran's embassy in Turkey accused the US of "politically biased interference in sport" by denying further visas to a "large portion of the managerial and executive staff" and "technical advisers".

A statement described the US announcement as a "whitewash", adding: "You have now escalated the deliberate and discriminatory treatment against Iran's national football team to its highest level."