Iran has banned national and club sports teams from travelling to countries it considers hostile, citing concerns over the safety of its athletes.
Iran's national football team is training in Turkey for upcoming friendlies as they prepare for the FIFA World Cup, facing heightened attention due to geopolitical tensions.
Iran's men's national soccer team wore black armbands and held schoolbags as their anthem played ahead of a match in Turkey on Friday, in what a team official said was a protest over the killing of schoolgirls on the first day of the Iran war.
An Iranian state television presenter has labelled the women's national soccer team as "wartime traitors" after the players did not sing their national anthem before their Asian Cup opener against South Korea in Australia earlier this week.
Iran's football federation is in discussions with FIFA about moving their World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico due to concerns about the safety of their players, Iranian football president Mehdi Taj said.
Iran's participation in this year's World Cup has been called into question after co-hosts the United States launched joint air strikes at the country along with Israel at the weekend.
The YJC news agency said the gathering was a birthday party, and added that all those detained had been released except one person, who is not a soccer player.
"No matter how much I can respect what you did inside the pitch, those remarks about Iran culture, Iran national team and my players are a disgrace to football."
FIFA's decision came after 11th hour talks before Tuesday's draw for the 2007 Asian Cup finals.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has asked FIFA why the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was not used to review two key decisions they believe hindered their side during Sunday's 1-1 draw with Switzerland.
Zoo director Vladimir Gerasimov believes Cleopatra might have a little better understanding of soccer than other animals.
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