By Ben Church, CNN

(CNN) — It’s now 100 days until the FIFA World Cup is set to begin in North America, and the intensifying war in the Middle East has raised further questions around what is already a controversial tournament.

Chief among those questions right now: Will Iran participate in the tournament now that it’s essentially at war with one of the hosts?

And while sport will be a secondary concern to those in the Middle East this week, the conflict has triggered fresh doubts over Iran’s participation in competition, with the country involved in escalating violence following strikes by the United States and Israel.

With the Islamic Republic’s leadership decimated and the country under attack, here is everything we know about the nation’s soccer team, just over three months before its first group stage game against New Zealand in Los Angeles.

Iran has cast doubt on participation

Given the rate at which events are unfolding across the Middle East, it’s very early to predict how the Iranian soccer team will be affected by the conflict.

Already, though, the president of the nation’s soccer federation has cast doubt on its involvement in the World Cup.

“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Mehdi Taj told sports portal Varzesh3, according to the Associated Press.

The killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has created a power vacuum in the regime, sparking a complex process of finding a successor. That makes it unclear who would be in charge of any decision about possibly boycotting the tournament, or what the next leader’s relationship with the US will be like.

When asked for comment on the situation, soccer’s world governing body FIFA referred CNN Sports to remarks by its general secretary, Mattias Grafstrom, on Sunday.

“It’s a bit premature to comment on that in detail, but of course we’ll monitor the developments around all issues around the world,” Grafstrom said after a meeting of the International Football Association Board in Wales.

“We had the final draw in Washington, where all teams participated. Our focus is to have a safe Word Cup with everyone participating.”

Prior tension between US and Iran around the tournament

Even before the most recent conflict broke out in the Middle East, there was already uncertainty about Iran’s participation in the tournament.

Fans from Iran are not able to enter the US after President Donald Trump’s administration imposed travel bans last year. It means many Iran supporters won’t be able to watch their team’s group games in California and Seattle.

And while athletes and coaches are exempt from the ban, Iran threatened to boycott the World Cup draw in Washington, DC, in December after members of its delegation were denied US visas.

In the end, a small delegation — including the team’s head coach — attended the ceremony, but the conflict gave a tangible example of the tension that was already simmering.

Iran was subsequently drawn into Group G and is set to play New Zealand, Egypt and Belgium at the World Cup.

The World Cup is set to be the biggest ever, with 48 teams playing in a tournament spanning Mexico, the United States and Canada from June 11 to July 19.

Sport has already been impacted

Th

By Jeremy Herb, Zachary Cohen, Natasha Bertrand, Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood, CNN

(CNN) — In the weeks leading up to President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran and in the frenetic days since, the president and his administration have offered several evolving explanations — at times exaggerated or at odds with US intelligence — to justify why the attacks were necessary and what the US ultimately hopes to achieve.

Before Saturday’s joint US-Israeli military strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Trump and his top officials overstated Iran’s capabilities to attack the US and just how close Tehran was from developing a nuclear weapon, sources told CNN.

Then after the initial wave of strikes, Trump cited an “imminent threat” to the US and administration officials said that the US acted in response to potential preemptive attacks by Iran on forces in the region — claims that were contradicted in Pentagon briefings to Capitol Hill that stated Iran was not planning to attack unless struck first.

Trump’s rationale for attacking the Iranian regime has whipsawed from protecting the demonstrators who protested in the streets of Iran in January to defending the US against the risk of Iran building nuclear and long-range weapons and eliminating a regime that’s backed terrorists killing Americans for decades. He’s called for the Iranian people to take control of their country even as top officials say the war is not about regime change.

“We have seen the goal for this operation change now, I believe, four or five times,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Warner spoke following a classified briefing with top administration officials on Monday, one of several opportunities the administration took within a span of hours to explain its war with Iran to the public and to Congress. The administration officials will brief the full House and Senate on Tuesday ahead of expected votes teed up by Democrats to curb Trump’s military action in Iran.

Trump’s shifting justification for undertaking “major combat operations” in Iran is especially significant because of how little time he and his administration spent making a public case for war before it started — and before it began costing American lives.

Six US service members were killed by Iranian retaliatory strikes, a number Trump already warned is likely to increase. On Monday, three US F-15E fighter jets were shot down in Kuwait due to an “apparent friendly fire incident, the US military said. All six crew members ejected safely.

The war is poised to be among the most consequential decisions of Trump’s presidency, and it’s beginning with a public already skeptical of military intervention and a Congress that did not vote to authorize military action. A CNN poll conducted by SSRS after the strikes began found nearly 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of the US decision to take military action in Iran, as most say a long-term military conflict between the two nations is likely.

In contrast, the public initially supported President George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq, which was authorized by Congress. But Americans soured on that war amid mounting US casualties — and faulty intelligence claims from administratio

CNN

By Annie Grayer, MJ Lee, Aaron Blake, Emily Condon, Dugald McConnell, CNN

(CNN) — The House Oversight Committee on Monday released video of the closed-door depositions of Bill and Hillary Clinton that occurred last week as part of the panel’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.

The former president and secretary of state each faced roughly 4 ½ hours of questioning from Democratic and Republican lawmakers in their home city of Chappaqua, New York.

The much-anticipated depositions were the result of weeks of political and legal tussling that included the Clintons initially declining to testify. After House Republicans threatened to hold both in contempt of Congress, for which they could have faced criminal charges, the Clintons agreed to appear for the in-person depositions.

Both depositions were heavier on political posturing than significant new information.

While Bill Clinton has more of a documented relationship with Epstein, it was Hillary Clinton’s deposition that was often the more animated of the two. She repeatedly raised her voice with congressional Republicans who she suggested were out for political gain rather than for real information.

Bill Clinton, with a calmer demeanor and visibly shaking hands, denied having any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes during what he said was the pair’s “brief acquaintance.”

Lawmakers repeatedly showed the former president photos of him with women from Epstein materials recently released by the Justice Department, asking whether he had sex with them. Each time, he told them he did not.

Hillary Clinton tangled especially with some of the more outspoken female Republicans on the House Oversight Committee, balking at their questions about her husband’s ties to Epstein and the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory, and becoming furious when one of them shared a picture of her testifying, which is against House rules.

Here are key moments from the depositions.

Bill Clinton denies sexual activity in infamous hot tub photo

Around halfway through Bill Clinton’s deposition, the former president denied engaging in any sexual activity related to a photo of him in a hot tub near a woman whose face was redacted.

“I sat in the hot tub for five minutes or whatever it was, and I got up and went to bed,” Clinton told Republican Rep. Nick Langworthy of New York.

When asked whether he engaged in sexual activity with the person, Clinton said no.

“I don’t know who that is,” Clinton said when asked who the person was.

The former president said he thought everyone in the pool area was part of his travel party, which included Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and a team work

CNN

By Annie Grayer, MJ Lee, Aaron Blake, Emily Condon, Dugald McConnell, CNN

(CNN) — The House Oversight Committee on Monday released video of the closed-door depositions of Bill and Hillary Clinton that occurred last week as part of the panel’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.

The former president and secretary of state each faced roughly 4 ½ hours of questioning from Democratic and Republican lawmakers in their home city of Chappaqua, New York.

The much-anticipated depositions were the result of weeks of political and legal tussling that included the Clintons initially declining to testify. After House Republicans threatened to hold both in contempt of Congress, for which they could have faced criminal charges, the Clintons agreed to appear for the in-person depositions.

Both depositions were heavier on political posturing than significant new information.

While Bill Clinton has more of a documented relationship with Epstein, it was Hillary Clinton’s deposition that was often the more animated of the two. She repeatedly raised her voice with congressional Republicans who she suggested were out for political gain rather than for real information.

Bill Clinton, with a calmer demeanor and visibly shaking hands, denied having any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes during what he said was the pair’s “brief acquaintance.”

Lawmakers repeatedly showed the former president photos of him with women from Epstein materials recently released by the Justice Department, asking whether he had sex with them. Each time, he told them he did not.

Hillary Clinton tangled especially with some of the more outspoken female Republicans on the House Oversight Committee, balking at their questions about her husband’s ties to Epstein and the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory, and becoming furious when one of them shared a picture of her testifying, which is against House rules.

Here are key moments from the depositions.

Bill Clinton denies sexual activity in infamous hot tub photo

Around halfway through Bill Clinton’s deposition, the former president denied engaging in any sexual activity related to a photo of him in a hot tub near a woman whose face was redacted.

“I sat in the hot tub for five minutes or whatever it was, and I got up and went to bed,” Clinton told Republican Rep. Nick Langworthy of New York.

When asked whether he engaged in sexual activity with the person, Clinton said no.

“I don’t know who that is,” Clinton said when asked who the person was.

The former president said he thought everyone in the pool area was part of his travel party, which included Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell

SANTA BARBARA Calif.—On Friday, a state judge kept a legal injunction in place preventing Sable from restarting its pipeline.

But while state judges are stopping sable for now… there are broader legal battles over whether federal agencies or California regulators have the ultimate authority.

“Despite Trump's attempt to federalize the pipelines and Sable’s reliance on the Trump administration, the injunction for now remains in place,” said Environmental Defense Center Attorney Jeremy Frankel.

At the end of 2024, the State Fire Marshal gave sable waivers to operate its pipeline.
but the Environmental Defense Center challenged those waivers and won a legal injunction.

"… And the injunction prevents Sable from restarting the pipelines until they have certain necessary approvals, which they don't yet have,” said Frankel.”

Sable has failed so far to get that injunction lifted.

“California law…and California injunctions still matter in this case,” said Environmental Defense Center Executive Director Alex Katz.

Federal regulators have already approved some of Sable's plans to restart operations.

But state authorities and environmental groups argue California’s permitting and oversight requirements must still be met.

“They're enjoined from restarting their enjoined from making any repairs on the pipeline. They still have all these approvals that they need,” said Katz.

To fund operations and repairs, sable raised money twice— $295 million last may and another $250 million in November, but the company is millions of dollars in debt after several lawsuits.

“So I think at this point, it's time we just acknowledge this is stuck in the mud. It's not working out. It's time to just pull the plug on this project, honestly, and just get rid of this equipment before it can cause any more harm to this part of the state,” said Katz.

Sable still cannot move oil onshore through its pipeline network without meeting state regulatory conditions.

For now, Sable only remains able to operate production offshore. 

You didn't hear from Sable in our report because even though we reached out Sable has declined to comment.

The post Another Sable Setback: State Judge prevents Texas Oil Company from Restarting Pipeline by Keeping Legal Injunction in Place appeared first on News Channel 3-12.