Inter's Mehdi Taremi unable to leave Iran amid conflict with Israel, will miss Club World Cup opener

Inter forward Mehdi Taremi will not travel to the United States for the Club World Cup this week due to escalating conflict in the Middle East, according to the Associated Press. Taremi remains in Tehran after flights out of Iran were grounded following a series of military strikes exchanged between Iran and Israel.

The 32-year-old striker had been scheduled to depart Saturday to join his club in Los Angeles.

Taremi is expected to miss Inter's opening Club World Cup match against Monterrey Wednesday, and Italian media reports suggest he is unlikely to play at all during the tournament -- even if Iranian airspace restrictions are lifted.

The Iranian international joined Inter from FC Porto last year and played a supporting role in the club's 2024 Serie A campaign, starting seven matches and making 19 appearances off the bench. He scored once in league play for Inter, which finished second in the standings.

Taremi also featured in 12 Champions League games this past season, though he remained an unused substitute in Inter's 5-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the final. Just days before the Club World Cup, Taremi scored in Iran's 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over North Korea on Tuesday.