Iran’s sports minister has reportedly shed new light on whether the nation will compete in the upcoming FIFA World Cup amid conflict between the US, Israel and Iran in the Middle East.On 28 February, a joint US-Israeli strike killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who has since been succeeded by his son Mojtaba.Following the attack on Iran, the nation responded by firing retaliatory strikes towards neighbouring nations Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman and Cyprus.

Israel has also engaged in conflict with the Iranian-backed Shia militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.Thousands of fatalities have been reported, with thousands more displaced across the region following the outbreak of the conflict.Sport has also been heavily impacted, with England Lions and England Women’s tours of the UAE cancelled.Concerns remain over whether April’s Bahrain and Saudi Arabian F1 events will take place, while seven members – six players and a member of the support staff – of Iran’s women’s team have been granted Australian visas following their appearance in the Asian Cup.