Indian Side Mohun Bagan SG Cancels Trip to Iran for Champions League 2 Match Due to Safety Concerns

It has been reported that the Indian delegation is opting to refrain from traveling to Iran at this time due to the heightened tensions in the region. Iran is currently embroiled in a conflict with Israel, resulting in a war-like atmosphere. Additionally, the country is in a state of mourning for a prominent general in the Revolutionary Guard, leading to further instability.

"Our 35 registered players, including seven foreigners, wrote to a club that they don't want to go to Iran now. So we tagged their letters and wrote to the AFC, asking them to either reschedule the match or move the game to a neutral venue," a Mohun Bagan source told PTI on Monday from Kolkata.

"We have decided to not travel to Iran keeping our players' safety and security in mind, because that is paramount. We have also written to the Ministry of External Affairs as their advisory states that you can go to Iran or Israel on your own responsibility," the source added.

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According to the earlier plan, the Kolkata-based giants were set to travel to Iran from Bengaluru after their Indian Super League (ISL) clash against Bengaluru FC. However, with tensions rising high in the region several players raised safety issues and wanted to avoid traveling.

As things stand, AFC is yet to comment on the issue and will have a huge call to make in the coming days. With fixture congestion and a lack of slots to adjust the fixtures, it will be interesting to see how AFC deals with the matter. In case the fixture is postponed, it could take place in December at the end of the group stage. However, if the AFC turns down Mohun Bagan’s appeal for a postponement, Tractor FC could be awarded all three points.