A fresh controversy erupted as U.S.-Iran talks continued in Switzerland. Senator Markwayne Mullin claimed a man with direct IRGC ties tried to board Iran’s World Cup flight and was stopped by U.S. authorities. Mullin also said only 53 members of Iran’s delegation were cleared, with several visas denied. Iran’s Football Federation fiercely rejected the allegations, calling them “an outright and undeniable lie,” and accused Washington of politicising football. The row comes even as JD Vance hailed progress in Swiss negotiations, raising fears that a sporting dispute could spill into diplomacy.
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