Iran bans sports participation in ‘hostile’ countries until further notice

Iran's Ministry of Sports and Youth announced Thursday that national teams and clubs will not participate in competitions held in countries it considers "hostile" until further notice, the Iranian official news agency IRNA reported.

In a statement, the ministry said the decision followed reports about a possible match involving Iran's Tractor FC against a team from the United Arab Emirates on Saudi soil as part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite.

The ministry said participation in countries deemed "hostile" and "unable to guarantee the safety" of Iranian athletes and team members is prohibited "until further notice."

It added that the Football Federation and clubs are required to notify the AFC to "relocate match venues" accordingly.