Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin has accused the Iranian government of attempting to infiltrate the United States by sending individuals with direct links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) alongside the country's World Cup soccer team. In an interview on Fox News' 'Sunday Morning Futures' with host Maria Bartiromo, Mullin detailed the alleged scheme, which he said was part of a broader pattern of Iranian deception.
Allegations of IRGC Infiltration
Mullin claimed that the United States denied entry to over half of the Iranian World Cup team's 100-plus person envoy, which had been training in Tijuana, Mexico. 'We're also seeing this with the games they're playing with FIFA,' Mullin said, asserting that one individual trying to travel with the team 'had direct ties to the IRGC.' He did not specify the exact number of individuals denied or the nature of their alleged ties.
The secretary emphasized that the Iranian players themselves were fully vetted, but he revealed that the president of Iran's soccer federation had been denied entry into the U.S. Mullin stated, 'So these games that Iran plays makes them an adversary that you can't trust.' He added that President Donald Trump understands this better than anyone, and that 'everything that we do will be verified and not assumed.'
Context of US-Iran Relations
Mullin's accusations come just days after news broke that the U.S. and Iran had agreed on a framework to end the military conflict that began nearly four months ago. Peace talks are currently underway in Switzerland. Despite this, Mullin expressed skepticism about Iran's intentions, telling Bartiromo that the Iranian government remains determined to harm people on U.S. soil. 'This regime that we're dealing with, they have been chanting 'Death to America' for 49 years,' he said, crediting Trump for preventing Iran's 'fantasy' of activating terrorist 'sleeper cells' from becoming a reality.
Verification and Security Measures
Mullin assured the public that all security measures are being taken to prevent Iranian infiltration. He did not provide specific details on the vetting process but stressed the importance of verification. The allegations, if true, would represent a significant breach of international sports diplomacy and raise concerns about the use of major events for covert operations.
