Iran slams Trump envoy's suggestion to replace its team with Italy at World Cup

JAKARTA - The Iranian Embassy in Italy said the United States was experiencing a 'moral bankruptcy' when responding to reports of the possibility of the Italian national football team replacing Iran in the World Cup.

"Football belongs to the people, not politicians. Italy has achieved success on the field, not thanks to political gains. The attempt to exclude Iran from the World Cup only shows the 'moral bankruptcy' of the United States, which is even afraid of the presence of 11 young Iranian players on the field," the embassy said, quoted by ANTARA from Sputnik, Friday, April 24.

Previously, the President of the Italian Olympic Committee Luciano Buonfiglio said the report on Iran's replacement in the World Cup was offensive, adding that the right to qualify for the World Cup must be achieved.

The US special envoy for global partnerships Paolo Zampolli previously told the Financial Times newspaper he had proposed replacing Iran with Italy at the upcoming World Cup amid tensions between the leaders of the two Western countries.

The newspaper reported that US President Donald Trump is pursuing football diplomacy to restore relations with one of his main NATO allies after a conflict related to a military base and Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV.

On March 31, Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina.