New Delhi, June 27 -- Iran captain Mehdi Taremi has openly questioned whether his side is truly wanted at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Egypt on Friday. The result left Iran's knockout hopes hanging in the balance, but it was the off-field issues that drew the sharpest criticism from the striker.

Taremi endured a night of near-misses and frustration in front of goal. He missed an early penalty, saw a header crash against the crossbar, and watched a late strike ruled out for offside. Despite the disappointment, he insisted the bigger problems lie away from the pitch.

The match itself carried extra weight. Iran still had a mathematical chance of reaching the round of 32 depending on results in Saturday's remain...