Mehdi Taremi (33, Inter Milan) will definitely miss the Club World Cup due to the effects of the Iran-Israel war.
Italian media 'Gazzetta dello Sport' reported on the 15th (Korean time) that "Inter Milan officially announced that Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi will not participate in the Club World Cup". The reason is that he cannot leave Iran at this time.
As military confrontations between Israel and Iran have intensified, the Middle East situation is heading toward a crisis. On the 14th, Israel bombed the 'South Pars' gas field, one of the largest gas fields in the world, located in Bushehr Province, southern Iran. This airstrike halted gas production of up to 12 million cubic meters per day.
'Reuters' analyzed that "this airstrike is the first case that targets Iran's energy infrastructure beyond simple nuclear facility strikes." A counterattack followed the airstrike. According to reports from international media including Reuters, Iran launched large-scale missiles across Israel, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, as retaliation for the Israeli nuclear facility airstrike, and Israel responded by activating its air defense network to intercept.
Amid this heightened military tension, Taremi ultimately could not step onto the international stage. He is currently staying in Tehran, the capital of Iran, where Iranian authorities stated, "There is no threat of bombing, but all flights are controlled, and land travel is also very dangerous." Inter Milan attempted to facilitate Taremi's departure in contact with the Italian embassy in Iran but ultimately concluded that it was impossible.
Italian 'Sky Sports' also reported that "Taremi was scheduled to move to the United States for this Club World Cup. However, with all airports in Iran closed, land travel became the only solution. However, land travel has become dangerous due to continuous bombings," effectively stating that moving was not possible.
This situation carries implications beyond just the absence of a player. The conflict between Iran and Israel is now spreading beyond the political and military spheres into sports, the energy market, and technology sectors.
As this Club World Cup has expanded from the existing small-scale tournaments organized by FIFA to the first large-scale tournament with 32 teams, the motivation for the players is particularly significant. For Inter Milan, representing Europe, this is an opportunity to strengthen its global presence and expand its global fan base, as well as a stage to wash away the disappointment of last season's Champions League final defeat.
Additionally, Taremi, who was considered a lower priority last season at Inter Milan, had a golden opportunity to solidify his presence on the international stage, but had to receive an indefinite travel ban due to the rapid changes in the Middle East situation.
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