Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, has said he is not concerned about whether Iran will take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Iran had earlier become the first nation to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup tournament.
However, the West Asian country was the only nation missing from the preparatory meeting of participating countries organized by FIFA in Atlanta this week.
Iran’s absence has sparked widespread speculation amid rising regional tensions about whether Tehran will send a team to the tournament scheduled to take place in the United States this summer. Questions have also been raised about whether the US government will grant entry visas to Iranian officials linked to the team.
“I really don’t care, if Iran participates,” Trump told POLITICO on Tuesday.
“I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.”