Iran NT reaches Basra by road after flight denial

Shafaq News- Basra

Iran’s national football team reached Iraq’s southern Basra province by road on Tuesday, crossing the border at Shalamcheh after landing at Abadan Airport in Iran, a Shafaq News correspondent reported.

An Iraqi security source told Shafaq News that authorities had withheld permission for the team’s plane to land at Basra International Airport, a decision “likely linked” to international sanctions on Iranian aviation.

The four-nation tournament featuring Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine opens on November 13 at Basra International Stadium, also known as Palm Trunk Stadium, said Badr Nasser, head of the Iraqi Football Association’s Basra branch. Host Iraq faces Lebanon in the opening match, and Iran plays Palestine on November 14.