Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin marked Iran's elimination from the World Cup with a public expression of joy, stating he performed a "happy dance" upon learning the team would not advance. Sports Business Journal reported on Mullin's comments made at a World Cup security briefing in Washington.
Iran narrowly missed advancing to the knockout stage of the tournament, finishing as the ninth-best third-place team in the group stage after a late goal by Austria against Algeria. The top eight third-place teams secured spots in the round of 32.
Mullin, according to SBJ, stated, "I'm just glad they're done, and they're not coming back. I was so happy when we were able to pull their visas and said they could leave the U.S. soil, and I might've sung a song or two or maybe even danced a happy dance." He indicated that the U.S. had dealt with Iran more than any other team during the event.
During the lead-up to the World Cup, the U.S. government implemented restrictions on the Iranian soccer team's movements. Their planned training base was moved from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico. The U.S. also limited the duration of the Iranian team's stay in the country before each match and required their departure immediately after.
Mullin asserted that approximately half of the individuals Iran intended to bring to the U.S. for the World Cup were linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Iranian federation has refuted this claim, stating it is "completely unsupported by any evidence."
Following Iran's final match, a 1-1 draw against Egypt, coach Amir Ghalenoei commented that his team had been treated "very unfairly." He stated that the host nation was not accommodating and urged FIFA to prevent such treatment of teams and players in the future.
The Iranian team left messages for their hosts in their locker rooms after their last two games. A note in Inglewood, California, read, "From the ancient Persia of thousands of years ago to the civilized Iran of today, the spirit of Iran remains alive and steadfast. We came to Los Angeles with pride, competed with honor, and leave with dignity." A similar message in Seattle stated, "Fair play is not a line in football's rules; it is the soul of the game. Thank you, Seattle, for your hospitality, and thank you to all Iranians, who gave their hearts, voices, and their whole being for Iran."