The FIFA World Cup is just days away from the first game kicking off as law enforcement for the three host countries prepare final security checks with Los Angeles confirming heightened security for Iran’s games
Increased security is being prepared for Iran’s games at this year’s FIFA World Cup just months after Donald Trump’s “safety” warning, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna has spoken out about the city’s security plans with eight matches to take place in the area from June 12, including Iran. He also confirmed that federal officials have told him that ICE will not be deployed at games but that is “subject to change”.
Luna said law enforcement would increase staffing around Iran’s two matches in Los Angeles, with authorities monitoring possible protests or other activity near the stadium and fan zones.
Iran and the United States are currently in negotiations to end their three-month-old war, but their appearance at the World Cup has been in doubt since the conflict in February.
However, Iran are due to play at the tournament after FIFA and US President Donald Trump said they would be “welcome”. But Trump did warn back in March that he did not think it was appropriate for Iran to play in the tournament for their “own life and safety”.
Speaking at the time on Truth social, Trump said: “The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”
Iran is scheduled to play its first match of the tournament on June 15 at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, which is a region home to the largest concentration of Iranians outside Iran.
Following the ongoing conflict, Luna stated on Monday (June 1) that “additional staffing” will be deployed for some games.
Luna said: “Iran does bring a different dynamic because of the current world events. So there will be additional staffing for some of those games.”
Meanwhile, Luna also addressed worrying tensions over ICE agents being deployed during the World Cup. He said federal officials have told him that civil immigration enforcement will not take place at FIFA World Cup games or events in Los Angeles.
“A couple of weeks ago there was some reporting, or rumours, about ICE potentially being at the FIFA games or events,” Luna told a press conference of local, state and federal law enforcement officials.
“I personally called the head of Homeland Security here for the L.A. region and what he stated is that there will be federal agents … because it’s going to take all of us to make sure that all the venues, the scoped and unscoped events, are secure.
“But in regard to civil immigration enforcement, they told us that specifically would not be occurring at any of the games.
“Any of that is subject to change, but I have trust that they’re giving me the appropriate information because if that starts occurring, we’re going to have a whole new host of problems,” he added.
Immigration raids by masked ICE agents in Los Angeles last year sparked a wave of demonstrations in the region.
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