Iran World Cup squad receives heroes‍‍` welcome in Tehran

Iran‍‍`s national football team received an emotional homecoming in Tehran on Wednesday after narrowly missing out on a place in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage.

Hundreds of supporters gathered at Mehrabad Airport to welcome the players, chanting "Iran, Iran" and waving national flags as the squad returned from the tournament. Many fans also wore Team Melli jerseys and carried photos of goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, whose performances earned widespread praise.

Iran finished third in their group after drawing all three matches but failed to qualify for the Round of 32, missing out on one of the eight best third-placed spots on goal difference.

The atmosphere at the airport intensified as the team‍‍`s flight arrived from Turkey, where the squad had travelled after leaving its tournament base in Mexico. Players were greeted by musicians performing the Iranian national anthem as they stepped off the aircraft.

Addressing supporters, Beiranvand apologised for the team‍‍`s failure to reach the knockout rounds despite their efforts.

Defender Ramin Rezaeian said the squad believed travel and visa restrictions had made their World Cup campaign more difficult. Iran had relocated its base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, after several members of its support staff were denied US visas.

Although Iran played all three group-stage matches in the United States, the team repeatedly complained about travel limitations, saying they were not permitted to arrive early before most fixtures.

Fans at the airport praised the players‍‍` commitment despite the disappointing outcome. Many said the team deserved to progress further and believed circumstances outside football had affected its campaign.

Iran came agonisingly close to making history. A late goal against Egypt that would have secured automatic qualification was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.

The team‍‍`s hopes were then pinned on results elsewhere before being eliminated on goal difference after Senegal claimed the final knockout berth.

Supporters also reflected on the broader challenges surrounding the tournament, which took place against the backdrop of tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

Despite the exit, many fans said they remained proud of the national team and hoped a younger generation of players would help Iran achieve greater success at future World Cups.