The Iran Football Federation announced on Tuesday that winger Mehdi Torabi's visa expired after his only permitted entry into the United States for the national team's World Cup opener in Los Angeles.

Torabi remained an unused substitute during Monday's 2-2 draw against New Zealand. He is known as a strong backer of the Iranian government and maintains connections to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Iranian squad is traveling from its base in Tijuana, Mexico, for its three group-stage fixtures, with the first two staged in Los Angeles and the third scheduled for Seattle.

Although most squad members received multiple-entry visas, Torabi was granted only a single-entry permit, a federation spokesman explained.

After the side journeyed to Los Angeles for the match against New Zealand and completed that fixture, the visa expired.

The federation has begun procedures to obtain a fresh visa so Torabi can rejoin the team for remaining matches.

Iran faces Belgium on Sunday, meaning any new visa must be secured by Saturday if Torabi is to travel with the squad to California.

During 2019 protests, Torabi appeared on the pitch wearing a shirt declaring that obedience to the leadership was the sole path to national salvation.

The 31-year-old also attended regular pro-government gatherings in Tehran's Valiasr Square following recent regional tensions.

Rubio says US would not allow anyone with links to IRGC

The United States designates the IRGC a terrorist organization. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that individuals with such ties would be barred from entry alongside the players.

Team supervisor Mahdi Mohammad Nabi was one of fifteen federation officials denied visas for the tournament.

The event marked the first World Cup in which a host nation was drawn against a country with which it had been in conflict until a last-minute peace agreement.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei stated that travel disruptions caused by bilateral tensions had placed undue strain on his players and influenced their display against New Zealand.