Iran And USA Discuss Arranging Friendly Match

According to Fars News and several other news agencies in Iran, the U.S. soccer federation has informed Iran's Football Federation that it is interested in a match between the national teams of the two countries in September.  

Reports indicate that Sunil Gulati, the U.S. Soccer Federation president, has has discussed the invitation with the Iranian side and this was a direct invitation without involvement of a third party.

The interesting point of the invitation is that it is said that the United States has expressed the desire to play at Tehran's Azadi Stadium on November 14th.

Iran is in the middle of a tough world cup qualifying campaign and is currently fourth place in its group.

Only the top two teams automatically qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the third place team of the group will advance to the play-offs.

Goal.com Iran contacted Iran's Football Federation Chief Ali Kafashian and asked about the initiation.

Kafashian told Goal.com, "We have received an invitation. We will be OK to play the match however we still need to see how the World Cup qualifying matches evolve.

"This is because one of the suggested dates for the match is when Asia World Cup qualifying play-off matches are scheduled to be played and Iran may be engaged then. If Iran is to play in play-offs, we will move the date to play the U.S." 

Iran's Football Federation Chief appreciates the sensitivity of any sporting event between Iran and United Stated and continued: "In my opinion any sports meet with America would be good for our sports as Americans have high degree of capabilities and abilities in sports." 

Kafashian then recognized the political realities and stated: "We, however, have to abide by Iran's Islamic Republic politics and we will follow the guidelines.

"There were a lot of different factors to consider before any serious conversations about actually playing a match."

With Iran's Presidential election weeks away, it is difficult to imagine a definite commitment from the Iranian side to this match until the outcome of the election is known.

The move by the U.S. Soccer Federation however has created a great deal of interest in Iran's football community.  

The American side are interested.

"It is a situation where both teams have a possible open international date in November, depending on how World Cup qualification goes," U.S. Soccer spokesman Neil Beuthe told Goal.com USA.

"We have to leave that date open in case we are forced to play in the playoff [with the fifth placed team from South America], but arranging a game for that date is something we are thinking about. We are considering many teams. Our first priority right now is qualifying for the World Cup."  

During the 1998 World Cup in France, Iran defeated the U.S. 2 - 1 and in 2000, the Iranian national team traveled to Los Angeles for a friendly. That matched ended in a 1-1 draw.

Goal.com