Iranian FA (FFIRI) chief, Mehdi Taj, has called for respect towards the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) if the national team is planning to travel to the United States for the summer's World Cup. This comes amid uncertainty over Iran's participation in the tournament due to the ongoing war with the US and Israel. The IRGC, which is listed as a terrorist organisation in both Canada and the US, is a significant military, political and economic force in Iran.