FIFA President Gianni Infantino has emphatically confirmed that Iran will participate in this summer's FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Speaking at CNBC's Invest in America Forum, Infantino stated, "Iran has to come, of course. They represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play," underscoring the tournament's importance for the nation.

This assurance comes amidst a complex geopolitical backdrop, following recent military actions involving the US and Israel. Infantino championed the unifying power of sport, arguing, "They should play – sports should be outside of politics... if there is nobody else that believes in building bridges... well we are doing that."

Despite earlier security concerns from US officials, the path to Iran's participation appears to be clearing. FIFA has denied a request to move Iran's scheduled group matches from the United States to Mexico. Team Iran is slated to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle during the June 11 to July 19 tournament.

Positive signals are now emerging from Iran's camp following Infantino's visit during a recent friendly. Coach Amir Ghalenoei stated there is "no reason at the moment not to participate," while sports minister Ahmad Donyamali expressed optimism, contingent on the maintenance of a ceasefire and guaranteed safety for the team in the US.

Echoing this sentiment, Infantino added, “We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation, that would definitely help." The final decision rests with Iran's Supreme National Security Council, but the outlook for their World Cup campaign is now significantly brighter, promising a full and competitive field for the global spectacle.