Iran’s sports minister says his country’s participation in the upcoming World Cup will be uncertain unless FIFA relocates its matches from the United States to Mexico.

The Iranian Football Federation (IFF) requested the sport’s global governing body move its fixtures but has yet to receive a response, Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali said on Sunday, reports Al Jazeera.

“If [our request to FIFA] is accepted, Iran’s participation in the World Cup will be certain,” Donyamali told Turkiye’s Anadolu news agency.

Israel and the US, which is cohosting the tournament in June and July with Canada and Mexico, began attacking Iran on February 28, sparking a regionwide conflict in the Middle East.

Tehran responded to US and Israeli strikes by launching waves of missiles and drones at Israel, several military bases in the Middle East where US forces operate and infrastructure in the Gulf.

Iran, the first team to qualify for the World Cup from Asia, is scheduled to play all its group matches on the US West Coast.

Within two weeks of the start of the war, US President Donald Trump said Iran was welcome to come to his country for its matches but added: “I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”

In response to Trump’s comments, Iran’s football team said in a post on social media that “no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup.”

Iranian football chief Mehdi Taj followed up by saying: “When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America.”

“We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran’s matches in the World Cup in Mexico,” Taj said.

However, days later, FIFA rejected Iran’s request by saying all World Cup matches will take place per the schedule announced last year, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed a relocation is off the cards.

“The matches will be played where they are supposed to be, according to the draw,” Infantino said after a meeting with IFF Vice President Mehdi Mohammad Nabi on Tuesday.

The verbal exchanges between the tournament’s organisers and Iranian football officials have raised doubts over Team Melli’s place in the tournament, but Donyamali said Iran’s players have continued their preparations and the squad “will be ready for the World Cup”.

He urged FIFA to ensure the necessary security arrangements for Iran’s players and support staff are provided by the host nation at the World Cup and criticised Trump for contradictory remarks.

“He is making morally and ethically unbalanced statements,” Donyamali said.

“Under these circumstances, the possibility of Iran participating in the World Cup matches in the US is very low, but if the relevant security guarantees are provided, our government will make the final decision.”

The World Cup will begin on June 11 in Mexico while Canada and the US will host their first match the following day. The final will be played on July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, near New York.

Team Melli are scheduled to face New Zealand in their opening game on June 16 in Los Angeles, where they will also face Belgium six days later. Their last group game is scheduled for June 26 in Seattle.