US security chief sends cruel parting shot to Iran after World Cup exit

US security chief sends cruel parting shot to Iran after World Cup exit The United States' secretary of Homeland Security rubbed salt into the wound of Iran's national team following their agonising World Cup elimination The United States' security chief has twisted the knife into Iran after claiming he danced in jubilation upon learning of their World Cup exit. Markwayne Mullin, the head of Homeland Security, boasted about the relief he felt when he revoked their ESTA visas for entry to the United States and taunted them further by stating he 'maybe even danced a happy dance'. Iran were held to a 1-1 draw with Egypt, which their fate in the hands of other teams. The game ended in a controversial note after they were denied a late winner when VAR ruled out substitute Shoja Khalilzadeh’s stoppage-time winner. An animated graphic appeared to show an extremely tight call that may have been settled by a matter of millimetres, with doubts raised about the validity of the measurements drawn up by the semi-automated VAR system. The draw meant they finished third in Group X on three points after drawing all three games. But their neutral goal difference resulted in them missing out in the third-place mini table, with Senegal finishing above them with a +2 goal difference. Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now! Their fate was sealed when Iran weren't even on the pitch themselves. Instead, a 3-3 draw between Algeria and Austria - featuring a 95th-minute equaliser from Sasa Kalajdzic - sent Iran packing from the competition. While many football fans expressed their sorrow for the Asian nation, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Mullin told reporters: "I'm just glad they're done, and they're not coming back. "I was so happy when we were able to pull their visas and said they could leave the US soil. And I might've sung a song or two or maybe even danced a happy dance." He added: "There wasn't a single team that we had to spend more time dealing with than Iran." JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook page It comes after several figures from Iran complained about the treatment of the national team, its players and staff during the tri-nation tournament. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei said his team were the "most oppressed" at the tournament amid the backdrop of the country's conflict with the US and Israel. Iran's training base was switched from Arizona to Tijuana in Mexico before the World Cup began and they faced travel restrictions throughout. They were the only team required to make an immediate exit from the country when they were slated to play on US soil. Ghalenoei bemoaned the "very unfair" treatment his side experienced from their American hosts, explaining that his team had been given "less than half" the training window it needed to prepare. Iran captain Mehdi Taremi agreed, saying: "This kind of tension undermines the joy of the World Cup. I felt the tension from the first moment we arrived." Mullin's comments are unlikely to thaw the tension any time soon, especially after Iran Ambassador Abolfazl Pasandideh raised fears of a conspiracy against his nation on the pitch. In a lengthy statement to Politico, Abolfazl Pasandideh argued that Iran battled “fatigue, injustice, and hardships that rarely appeared before the cameras,” as well as criticising “pseudo-VAR” interventions. “Perhaps some balls fell just centimetres short of bringing joy to millions of Iranians — centimetres that were not even measured by the linesman’s flag, yet were magnified by ‘pseudo-VAR’ interventions,” Pasandideh wrote. “However, nothing could ever diminish the magnitude of your determination. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer's FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code DEAL.