United States President, Donald Trump, has cautioned that the participation of Iran’s national football team in the upcoming World Cup in North America could put the players’ lives and safety at risk.

Trump’s statement came just two days after he reportedly assured Gianni Infantino that Iranian players would be allowed to take part in the tournament despite the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said, “The Iran National Football Team is welcome to participate in the World Cup, but I truly don’t believe it is appropriate for them to be there, considering their own lives and safety.”

The ongoing conflict, which reportedly began after attacks by the United States and Israel on February 28, has created uncertainty over whether Iran will participate in the men’s football World Cup scheduled for this summer.

The tournament will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Earlier this week, Infantino disclosed that he discussed the “current situation in Iran” during a meeting with Trump at the White House. Following the meeting on Tuesday, the FIFA president said Trump had indicated that the Iranian team would still be welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.

Back in December, Infantino also introduced the FIFA Peace Prize and presented the inaugural award to Trump.

His recent remarks marked the first time the FIFA chief publicly acknowledged the continuing Middle East conflict in relation to the global football tournament.