<p class="title">Iran's football federation said Friday it has been banned from hosting international matches inside the country.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The "federation received a letter today from the Asian Football Confederation... announcing the decision to hold AFC Champions League matches hosted by Iranian teams in neutral countries," said a statement on the federation's website.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An extraordinary meeting was immediately held to address the situation and the managers of the four clubs representing Iran in the tournament will be consulted on Saturday, it added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Those teams are Persepolis, Esteghlal, Sepahan and Shahr Khodro.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The final position of Iranian clubs and the federation will be announced in the following days".</p>.<p class="bodytext">The federation did not state the reason for the ban.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The federation's spokesman said Iran is prepared to host foreign teams and has guaranteed match security to the AFC, calling on the organisation to stand against any accusations stating otherwise.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Iran has the full readiness to host teams and has proven this repeatedly in recent years," said Amir Mehdi Alavi on the federation's website.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He pointed to last year's AFC Champion's League finals held in Tehran and said "the sports minister has given the AFC the needed security assurances regarding hosting" teams. </p>
<p class="title">Iran's football federation said Friday it has been banned from hosting international matches inside the country.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The "federation received a letter today from the Asian Football Confederation... announcing the decision to hold AFC Champions League matches hosted by Iranian teams in neutral countries," said a statement on the federation's website.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An extraordinary meeting was immediately held to address the situation and the managers of the four clubs representing Iran in the tournament will be consulted on Saturday, it added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Those teams are Persepolis, Esteghlal, Sepahan and Shahr Khodro.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The final position of Iranian clubs and the federation will be announced in the following days".</p>.<p class="bodytext">The federation did not state the reason for the ban.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The federation's spokesman said Iran is prepared to host foreign teams and has guaranteed match security to the AFC, calling on the organisation to stand against any accusations stating otherwise.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Iran has the full readiness to host teams and has proven this repeatedly in recent years," said Amir Mehdi Alavi on the federation's website.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He pointed to last year's AFC Champion's League finals held in Tehran and said "the sports minister has given the AFC the needed security assurances regarding hosting" teams. </p>