Iran to play World Cup but demands guarantees from Fifa and hosts

Iran to play World Cup but demands guarantees from Fifa and hosts Iran says it will take part in this summer’s football World Cup but is seeking a series of guarantees from FIFA and the host nations amid rising tensions over its participation. The Iranian Football Federation said the team would compete at the tournament "without any retreat from our beliefs, culture and convictions", while insisting the hosts "must take our concerns into account". The move follows the refusal of entry to federation president Mehdi Taj by Canada ahead of last month’s FIFA Congress.