US security chief 'danced happy dance' after Iran exit

The United States' head of homeland security said he "danced a happy dance" when Iran were eliminated from the World Cup.

Iran missed out on qualifying from the group stage on goal difference after a stoppage-time winner against Egypt was disallowed for a marginal offside.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei said his team were the "most oppressed" at the tournament amid the backdrop of the country's conflict with the US and Israel.

Iran's training base was switched from Arizona to Tijuana in Mexico before the World Cup began and they faced travel restrictions throughout.

Despite Saturday's 1-1 draw with Egypt, Iran still had a chance of qualifying as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

But their elimination was confirmed when Algeria and Austria played out a dramatic 3-3 draw on Sunday.

Markwayne Mullin, who heads the Department of Homeland Security, said on Monday: "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 US soil, and I might've sung a song or two or maybe even danced a happy dance."

He added: "There wasn't a single team that we had to spend more time dealing with than Iran."

Iran were only permitted to enter the US the day before their first two matches and had to leave on the same day as the game, under the terms of their visas.

Those restrictions were eased for their final group game in Seattle, allowing them to arrive two days early, but they again had to return to Tijuana after Saturday's match.

Iran's football federation responded with a statement saying it was unsurprised by Mullin's comments.

The statement read: "Iranians are used to the mistreatment and lies of US officials, so no-one in Iran is surprised by these hostile remarks.

"The fact that he openly celebrates Iran's elimination says far more about him than it does about our team.

"It reflects a level of pettiness that cannot even tolerate the presence of a football team competing on the world's biggest stage."

Iran coach Ghalenoei said the US, co-hosts of the World Cup with Canada and Mexico, had "treated us very unfairly" and his squad had been given "less than half" the training window it needed to prepare.

Iran captain Mehdi Taremi added: "This kind of tension undermines the joy of the World Cup. I felt the tension from the first moment we arrived."

The Iran team left a handwritten note thanking the people of Mexico at their training base.

"True hosting is about respect, humanity, and dignity. We will never forget the kindness of the people of Tijuana," it said.

"From this day forward, Mexico will always be more than a host nation to us; it will be our second home and our second team.

"We leave this World Cup with pride, but also with one fundamental question: Did every team truly compete under equal conditions and equal professional standards?

"Perhaps one day history will judge who genuinely welcomed Iran's presence at this World Cup, and who would have preferred our journey to end much sooner."