Simon Jordan and Jim White clashed with White House chief Andrew Giuliani during a heated debate over the treatment of Iran’s football team at the World Cup.Earlier this week, US Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin said he performed a ‘happy dance’ and ‘sung a song or two’ after the nation failed to qualify for the knockout stages of this summer’s tournament.Iran’s football federation has hit out at the US government after its World Cup exitGettyIran drew all three of their group stage matches and missed out on the Round of 32, amid high-profile travel and visa restrictions imposed by the American government amid the ongoing conflict between the two countries in the Middle East.Head coach Amir Ghalenoei said his players and staff were the ‘most oppressed’ at the World Cup following their opening game in Los Angeles, which saw the team fly back to their base in Tijuana, Mexico, hours after the final whistle.Following Sec. Mullin’s joy at their exit from the tournament, Iran’s football federation hit back by accusing the co-hosts of peddling lies and saying they are ‘used to mistreatment’.Giuliani, the executive director of the White House World Cup task force, was questioned about Mullin’s comments, and the treatment of Iran throughout the tournament, during a heated talkSPORT interview with White & Jordan on Friday.Andrew Giuliani clashes with talkSPORT over Iran World Cup treatmentThe politician hit back at the ‘lies’ told about the US and Donald Trump pre-tournament, before raving about the ‘incredible’ number of people processed to enter the country to play and watch the football on American soil.His comments sparked Jordan to question the handling of Iran, and the reports coming out from their football federation.“Can I ask you a question first? Do you take the Iranian’s word, or do you take it with a grain of salt?” Giuliani fired back.Jordan then described Sec. Mullin’s comments as ‘clumsy’ and asked for clarification over the tough travel restrictions.“It was the Iranian’s decision to be based in Tijuana. They were based in Tucson, Arizona, and we made it very clear they could come into the country five days before the match,” Giuliani responded.“And they decided instead to base in Tijuana. When they did that, we decided to make sure we could have the US Deptartment of Homeland Secuirty meet them in Tijuana, so we could adjudicate and make sure that everybody who was coming on the plane, who had visas, was actually on there.Giuliani defended US treatment of Iran during an appearance on talkSPORTtalkSPORT“We told them they could come in the day before the match, for Los Angeles matches, because it’s a 27-minute flight. Not that long at all, and that they would have to leave the day of the match.“Again, a 27-minute flight, not a big deal. Here, NFL teams fly all across the country.”Jordan then cut Giuliani off to suggest that no other team has faced restrictions like Iran, which caused the official to raise his voice and say, ‘Let me finish here.’He then continued: “With Seattle, a three-hour flight, we gave them a second day.“They were handled that way because they were the only team putting in people with visas that had direct ties to terrorist organizations.“The reason Sec. Mullin said what he said, is because he’s extremely focused on protecting the United States and all the international visitors coming here.”Giuliani shouted over Jordan as he was questioned on ‘clumsy’ comments from MullintalkSPORTJim White, co-hosting the talkSPORT show alongside Jordan, quickly jumped in to ask if the US viewed Iran as a ‘national security threat’.“We processed all 31 players to be on the pitch, we processed all the coaches, everybody who was on the pitch, we got them on there,” Giuliani responded.“What I’m telling you, is they had officials that had direct ties to the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), who were communicating and coordinating with them.”Pushed for evidence of terror links by White, Giuliani doubled down on his claims.“I’m not going to pull out my binder and show you (the evidence),” he said.“Let me ask you a question: Seriously, do you guys actually not believe that a country that has been saying, ‘Death to America’ for 47 years and has killed Americans on the battlefield over the last 25 years… that they actually would not be doing that?White asked Giuliani if he had evidence of the Iran football team’s links to the IRGCtalkSPORT“We wanted to allow the team to come in and play, and we did allow the team to come in and play.“But, an official who was not going to affect the play on the field, I think it was very reasonable to draw the line there.“We look at this tournament, the way they were able to get in and come out, and the fact there was no incidents around that team… we poured plenty of resource into making sure that team was safe as well.”As the heated debate continued, Giuliani labelled Iran’s football team as ‘hostages of the regime’ that have been forced to say some things they don’t mean in the past.Andrew Giuliani says US made right calls for ‘safe and successful’ World Cup“Guys, I think you saw the letter in Los Angeles, the thank you letter that they ended up writing,” he added.“That was truly amazing. The fact that their captain went out there, and (Mehdi) Taremi came out, to said it was a pleasure to play here. That took some real guts.Taremi was praised by Giuliani for his comments about playing at the World CupGetty“When I look at this team, they’re hostages of the regime and they’re forced to say some things they may not believe.“Go back to the 2022 World Cup, when they protested during the anthem of the opening match, and then were told that they better sing or that their families are ‘going to get it’.“So I stand by what we did, I know we did the right thing, and I’m so happy this has been a safe and successful tournament.”When pressed by White about another topic, Somali referee Omar Artan who was denied entry to the US, Giuliani accused talkSPORT of ‘focusing on one or two issues’ rather than ‘everything that was done to make this the most successful World Cup every played’.Giuliani shut down questions about Somali referee ArtanAFP“Andrew, with respect, we don’t need to pat you on the back. You can do that for yourselves, and you’re doing that aptly,” Jordan then told the White House official.Following White’s suggestion that talkSPORT is not here to be ‘cheerleaders’ for the American government, and his insistence the show has been balanced throughout our World Cup coverage, Giuliani took issue again.“It doesn’t seem like a balanced interview, guys… you haven’t even acknowledged some of the important work that has been done,” the politician said, without merit.“Of course it is!” White hit back, concluding the interview segment.“We certainly have (acknowledged the work).”World Cup WhatsAppDon't miss an update from talkSPORT in our dedicated World Cup WhatsApp channel.Search for ‘talkSPORT World Cup’ in your ‘Updates’ tab on WhatsApp and we’ll drop the proper, unfiltered football chat straight to your lock screen—no fluff, just pure talkSPORT energy.It’s where you’ll find out all the new rules to watch out for, England and Scotland reaction and big match player ratings. Plus there will be loads of debates on the biggest talking points as Haaland, Mbappe, Kane and the biggest names in football descend on America, Canada and Mexico.