Iran is to boycott next week's World Cup finals draw in Washington because the United States refused to grant visas to several members of the delegation, the Iranian football federation announced on Friday.&nbsp;"We have informed FIFA that the decisions taken have nothing to do with sports and the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw," the federation's spokesperson told state television.&nbsp;Iranian sports website Varzesh 3&nbsp;had claimed on Tuesday the United States had declined issuing visas to several members of the delegation including the president of the federation Mehdi Taj.&nbsp;On Thursday Taj had denounced the decision as being a political one.&nbsp;"We have told the head of FIFA mister (Gianni) Infantino, that it is purely a political position and that FIFA must tell them (US) to desist from this behaviour," added Taj.&nbsp;According to Varzesh 3 four members of the delegation including Amir Ghalenoei, the coach, had been granted visas for the draw on December 5.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cristiano-ronaldo-reacts-as-portugal-lift-historic-fifa-u17-world-cup-trophy-1764319821396">Cristiano Ronaldo reacts as Portugal lift historic FIFA U17 World Cup trophy</a>&nbsp;The United States -- which is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico -- and Iran have been at loggerheads for over four decades.&nbsp;They had, though, been holding high-level nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington that had begun in April, during which the two sides were at odds over Iran's right to enrich uranium -- which Tehran defends as "inalienable".&nbsp;However, they ended when in mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, triggering a 12-day war that the United States briefly joined with strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for&nbsp;WION&nbsp;audience.

Iran has decided not to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw on Dec 5 in Washington, after the United States refused to issue visas

Iran is to boycott next week's World Cup finals draw in Washington because the United States refused to grant visas to several members of the delegation, the Iranian football federation announced on Friday. "We have informed FIFA that the decisions taken have nothing to do with sports and the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw," the federation's spokesperson told state television. Iranian sports website Varzesh 3 had claimed on Tuesday the United States had declined issuing visas to several members of the delegation including the president of the federation Mehdi Taj. On Thursday Taj had denounced the decision as being a political one. "We have told the head of FIFA mister (Gianni) Infantino, that it is purely a political position and that FIFA must tell them (US) to desist from this behaviour," added Taj. According to Varzesh 3 four members of the delegation including Amir Ghalenoei, the coach, had been granted visas for the draw on December 5. Also Read - Cristiano Ronaldo reacts as Portugal lift historic FIFA U17 World Cup trophy The United States -- which is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico -- and Iran have been at loggerheads for over four decades. They had, though, been holding high-level nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington that had begun in April, during which the two sides were at odds over Iran's right to enrich uranium -- which Tehran defends as "inalienable". However, they ended when in mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, triggering a 12-day war that the United States briefly joined with strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Iran has decided not to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw on Dec 5 in Washington, after the United States refused to issue visas

FIFA World Cup 2026: Iran set to boycott tournament draw because of US visa restrictions, says federation

The United States has said it is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshi nationals who are seen to be interfering in or "undermining" the upcoming democratic election process in the South Asian nation. 
 
General elections are supposed to be held in Bangladesh in late December or January 2024.

Reacting to the US announcement made on Friday, Bangladesh said though the development is "not a pleasing experience", Dhaka is "not worried" as it is doing nothing wrong.

"Today, the (US) Department of State is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshi individuals responsible for or complicit in undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh," US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

"These persons and members of their immediate family may be found ineligible for entry into the United States," the statement said.

Individuals, including members of law enforcement agencies, the ruling party, and the political opposition would come under the purview of the restriction as the "United States is committed to supporting free and fair elections in Bangladesh that are carried out in a peaceful manner," it said.

Miller said the US action reflects the continued commitment of America to support Bangladesh's goal of peacefully holding free and fair national elections, and to support those seeking to advance democracy globally.

US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya shared the announcement on her account on X, formerly Twitter, just hours after she met with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in New York to join the UN General Assembly's annual meeting. 
 
Bryan Schiller, spokesperson of the US embassy in Dhaka, said the United States has by now enforced visa restrictions against some members of law enforcement agencies, ruling party officials and opposition activists.

The restrictions were imposed after the US cautiously reviewed the evidence against the individuals, he said.

Schiller, however, declined to disclose the names, calling the list "secret visa records". 
In a media briefing hours after the US announcement, Bangladesh's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said his country has nothing to lose.

"We have nothing to lose, we are not worried about it because we are not doing anything wrong," he said.

The development is "not a pleasing experience" but "we have to go through it", he said. He said he expected the US government to enforce the new visa restriction policy after reviewing facts and figures in a fair manner.

The junior foreign minister said Washington has given Dhaka an idea of the number of individuals who will face the visa restrictions.&nbsp;

"What I can tell you is that the number is small," he said.

Alam said the government believes the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh's main opposition party, and its fundamentalist ally Jamaat-e-Islami appear more vulnerable to the US visa restrictions as they were involved in acts aimed at foiling the next election.

The BNP has been campaigning to restore a non-party caretaker government to oversee the elections, claiming that no polls under Hasina's administration would be free. 
It has staged a series of protests demanding Hasina's resignation to allow a non-party caretaker government to oversee the polls. 
 
The BNP and other opposition groups accuse the ruling Awami League of gross rights abuses like murders and forced disappearances, and corruption. The government has repeatedly denied the allegations.

The US had earlier questioned Bangladesh's human rights situation and political inclusiveness. Last year, it slapped visa restrictions on several current and former officials of the elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on charges of alleged extra-judicial killings.

Prime Minister Hasina had sternly criticised the US action, saying she believed America did not want her government to remain in power.

She had also hinted that the US wanted military access to St Martin's Island in the Bay of Bengal, an allegation denied by the State Department.

Friday's development came a day after the European Union (EU) said it would not deploy a full election observer team to Bangladesh, citing a lack of "necessary conditions".

EU ambassador Charles Whiteley on Thursday said the bloc would not deploy a "fully-fledged" observer mission. While the EU took into account budget constraints, it said the decision also "reflects the fact that at the present time, it is not sufficiently clear whether the necessary conditions will be met".

The EU is Bangladesh's largest trade partner. The 27-member bloc is the destination of more than half of the South Asian nation's USD 55 billion export merchandise.

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The United States has said it is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshi nationals who are seen to be interfering in or "undermining" the upcoming democratic election process in the South Asian nation.

The United States has said it is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshi nationals who are seen to be interfering in or "undermining" the upcoming democratic election process in the South Asian nation. General elections are supposed to be held in Bangladesh in late December or January 2024. Reacting to the US announcement made on Friday, Bangladesh said though the development is "not a pleasing experience", Dhaka is "not worried" as it is doing nothing wrong. "Today, the (US) Department of State is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshi individuals responsible for or complicit in undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh," US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement. "These persons and members of their immediate family may be found ineligible for entry into the United States," the statement said. Individuals, including members of law enforcement agencies, the ruling party, and the political opposition would come under the purview of the restriction as the "United States is committed to supporting free and fair elections in Bangladesh that are carried out in a peaceful manner," it said. Miller said the US action reflects the continued commitment of America to support Bangladesh's goal of peacefully holding free and fair national elections, and to support those seeking to advance democracy globally. US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya shared the announcement on her account on X, formerly Twitter, just hours after she met with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in New York to join the UN General Assembly's annual meeting. Bryan Schiller, spokesperson of the US embassy in Dhaka, said the United States has by now enforced visa restrictions against some members of law enforcement agencies, ruling party officials and opposition activists. The restrictions were imposed after the US cautiously reviewed the evidence against the individuals, he said. Schiller, however, declined to disclose the names, calling the list "secret visa records". In a media briefing hours after the US announcement, Bangladesh's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said his country has nothing to lose. "We have nothing to lose, we are not worried about it because we are not doing anything wrong," he said. The development is "not a pleasing experience" but "we have to go through it", he said. He said he expected the US government to enforce the new visa restriction policy after reviewing facts and figures in a fair manner. The junior foreign minister said Washington has given Dhaka an idea of the number of individuals who will face the visa restrictions. "What I can tell you is that the number is small," he said. Alam said the government believes the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh's main opposition party, and its fundamentalist ally Jamaat-e-Islami appear more vulnerable to the US visa restrictions as they were involved in acts aimed at foiling the next election. The BNP has been campaigning to restore a non-party caretaker government to oversee the elections, claiming that no polls under Hasina's administration would be free. It has staged a series of protests demanding Hasina's resignation to allow a non-party caretaker government to oversee the polls. The BNP and other opposition groups accuse the ruling Awami League of gross rights abuses like murders and forced disappearances, and corruption. The government has repeatedly denied the allegations. The US had earlier questioned Bangladesh's human rights situation and political inclusiveness. Last year, it slapped visa restrictions on several current and former officials of the elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on charges of alleged extra-judicial killings. Prime Minister Hasina had sternly criticised the US action, saying she believed America did not want her government to remain in power. She had also hinted that the US wanted military access to St Martin's Island in the Bay of Bengal, an allegation denied by the State Department. Friday's development came a day after the European Union (EU) said it would not deploy a full election observer team to Bangladesh, citing a lack of "necessary conditions". EU ambassador Charles Whiteley on Thursday said the bloc would not deploy a "fully-fledged" observer mission. While the EU took into account budget constraints, it said the decision also "reflects the fact that at the present time, it is not sufficiently clear whether the necessary conditions will be met". The EU is Bangladesh's largest trade partner. The 27-member bloc is the destination of more than half of the South Asian nation's USD 55 billion export merchandise. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US says will impose visa restrictions on individuals 'undermining' Bangladesh elections

Trouble seems to be mounting for Sudan as the US has decided to impose sanctions against those perpetuating violence in the war-torn country. In a move to step-up pressure on rival militaries in Sudan the White House on Thursday issued a statement announcing sanctions and visa restrictions to put an end to the fighting in Sudan.

US issues sanctions against Sudan causing more trouble for the war-torn African nation

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said that the country will impose visa restrictions on Chinese nationals who are engaged in overseas influence operations or have tried to silent dissent via threatening or any other coercive tactics.&nbsp;

"The United Front frequently intimidates members of academia, businesses, civil society groups, and Chinese diaspora communities, including members of ethnic and religious minority communities who speak out against horrific human rights abuses taking place in Xinjiang, Tibet, and elsewhere in China," said Pompeo, as quoted by news agency Reuters.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) United Front Work Department has been involved in putting pressure on people who slam China for human rights abuses in Uighur region, Tibet, and elsewhere, the secretary of state said.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-intel-chief-says-china-has-created-biologically-enhanced-super-soldiers-347331">US intel chief says China has created biologically enhanced super soldiers</a>

He also said the 'coercive tactics' include releasing the personal information of dissenters or their family members online as a means of intimidation, a practice known as "doxing."

The visa restriction would apply to those "who have engaged in the use or threat of physical violence, theft and release of private information, espionage, sabotage, or malicious interference in domestic political affairs, academic freedom, personal privacy, or business activity," said Pompeo.

He said that those people whose actions "contravene the rules-based international order are not welcome" in the US.

The measure is the latest taken by the US against China after it took strict actions against the nation over human rights abuses, coronavirus pandemic and trade among others.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said that the country will impose visa restrictions on Chinese nationals who are engaged in overseas influence operations or have tried to silent dissent via threatening or any other coercive tactics.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said that the country will impose visa restrictions on Chinese nationals who are engaged in overseas influence operations or have tried to silent dissent via threatening or any other coercive tactics. "The United Front frequently intimidates members of academia, businesses, civil society groups, and Chinese diaspora communities, including members of ethnic and religious minority communities who speak out against horrific human rights abuses taking place in Xinjiang, Tibet, and elsewhere in China," said Pompeo, as quoted by news agency Reuters. Watch | The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) United Front Work Department has been involved in putting pressure on people who slam China for human rights abuses in Uighur region, Tibet, and elsewhere, the secretary of state said. Also read | US intel chief says China has created biologically enhanced super soldiers He also said the 'coercive tactics' include releasing the personal information of dissenters or their family members online as a means of intimidation, a practice known as "doxing." The visa restriction would apply to those "who have engaged in the use or threat of physical violence, theft and release of private information, espionage, sabotage, or malicious interference in domestic political affairs, academic freedom, personal privacy, or business activity," said Pompeo. He said that those people whose actions "contravene the rules-based international order are not welcome" in the US. The measure is the latest taken by the US against China after it took strict actions against the nation over human rights abuses, coronavirus pandemic and trade among others.

US slaps visa restrictions on Chinese nationals involved in crushing dissent

The United States administration has adopted a controversial and strict visa policy. This new visa restriction aims at restricting what is described as "birth tourism". Watch report:

US acts against Birth Tourism