Iran’s soccer team arrives in Mexico for training ahead of the World Cup

TIJUANA, México (AP) — Iran’s soccer team arrived in Mexico on Sunday morning for training ahead of the World Cup, before three group matches in the United States later this month.

Ehsan Hajsafi was the first player to exit the plane with the markings www.usc.aero, which arrived at about 5:05 a.m. He led the team through a brief security check with Mexican officials and dogs before boarding a bus.

The bus stopped briefly at the entrance to the Tijuana airport, where around 20 or so Iran fans waved flags.

The team’s participation in the World Cup has been complicated by the Iran war. Problems with processing visas had earlier led Iran to move its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, which is on the border with California.