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New Delhi: Iran opened its World Cup by playing to a 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday night, overcoming visa denials, two deficits and getting the tying goal from Mohammad Mohebbi in the 64th minute.

This draw comes after 15 Iranian delegation members initially having been denied US visas. Four members eventually won appeals but 11 were not allowed to travel to the US. BBC had reported that among those rejected were Iran Football Federation (FFIRI) president Mehdi Taj, one of the federation’s vice-presidents, two team administrators responsible for day-to-day operations, a media officer and a security officer.

A Reuters report noted that Mahdi Mohammad Nabi, who also served as Iran’s supervisor in charge of squad ‌operations at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar, was one of those barred.

A day after FIFA president Gianni Infantino had said Iran’s participation in the World Cup was proof of his organisation’s........

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