Iran’s men’s national football team has begun preparations for the upcoming World Cup with tightly controlled training sessions in southern Turkey, as regional tensions continue to weigh on the squad.
The team trained on Wednesday in Belek, a Mediterranean resort town near Antalya, with access for journalists heavily restricted.
Officials said the strict controls were designed to limit distractions ahead of what they described as vital warm-up fixtures for Iran’s World Cup campaign.
“The squad remains fully focused on its immediate competitive schedule,” said a team media representative, declining to grant interviews during the session.
The Iran Football Federation is reportedly in discussions with FIFA about relocating its World Cup matches to Mexico instead of the United States, citing safety concerns, federation president Mehdi Taj said last week.
The team is scheduled to play two friendlies in Antalya, facing Nigeria on Friday and Costa Rica next Tuesday.
The matches were originally planned in Jordan, but were moved to Turkey following the outbreak of the Iran war.
Despite the high-security atmosphere, players appeared relaxed on the training pitch, chatting and joking with coaching staff under warm, sunny conditions.
Forward Mehdi Taremi was present, having recently drawn attention for swapping shirts with an Israeli opponent while playing for Olympiacos in Greece.
Striker Sardar Azmoun was notably absent from the squad.
Iranian media reported that Azmoun, who has scored 57 goals in 91 international appearances, was expelled from the national team after posting an Instagram photo showing him with Dubai ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum—an act Iranian authorities deemed disloyal.
As preparations continue in Belek, the team’s low public profile and tightly managed training schedule highlight both the intense focus on sporting performance and the broader political sensitivities surrounding Iran’s participation in the World Cup.
