Iran FA slams AFC 'ban' on their clubs hosting international matches

The Iranian Football Federation on Saturday said it would stand up to the "illegal" decision by the Asian Football Confederation to ban the country from hosting any international matches on Iranian soil. Federation chief Heidar Baharvand said the federation and managers of the four teams playing in the AFC Champions League held an extraordinary meeting and decided unanimously to reject the decision. Baharvand told state TV that if the ban was not reversed, all teams would withdraw from the League.

The federation on Friday said it had received a letter from the AFC, saying all matches involving Iranian clubs would be held in a third country. The Iranians did not say if any reason was given, or if the decision was related to the accidental downing of a Ukrainian jetliner last week and the tension between the US and Iran in the wake of the killing of General Qassem Soleimani. Iran has four teams - Persepolis, Esteghlal, Sepahan and Shahr Khodro - in the AFC Champions League.

The AFC have not publicy stated any such ban or replied to the Iran FA's claims. A federation official on Friday said the Sports Ministry had provided the required security guarantees to the AFC and went on to point out that Iran hosted the 2018 AFC Champions League final at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran.

"In my opinion, it is an illegal decision. The executive football committees are reviewing it and they will announce their final decision by Sunday (19 January). The Iranian Football Federation, clubs and officials unanimously oppose it and will definitely stand up to this decision."

"Not at all. Both the federation and clubs agree on not playing outside the country under any circumstances. We must host matches, because this is our people's right. We should not deprive our spectators from hosting games. This is our absolute right and we insist on it."

"We had a meeting with heads of our clubs and in the meeting all of the people in charge agreed that it would have consequences for us, which we must accept and stand up to once and for all. We did not resist them on the issue of Saudi Arabia (games between the two countries were staged in the UAE) and you saw what happened. If we do not stand up this time either, rest assured that other issues would follow that could harm Iran's football."

"We and the clubs have prepared a response which will be sent to the AFC (Asian Football Confederation). If this decision takes hold, we will certainly withdraw from the tournament."