On Friday, IRNA, the official Iranian news agency, reported that a special committee reviewing the case for U.S wrestlers had chosen to deny visas. IRNA quoted Iran foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying a special committee reviewed the case of the U.S. team for the tournament, and "eventually the visit ... was opposed."
The denial is Iran's response to President Donald J. Trump's executive order banning visas for seven Muslim-majority countries including Iran.
Here are reactions of a handful of U.S. wrestlers who were slated to make the trip to the World Cup, scheduled for Feb. 16-17 in the western Iranian city of Kermanshah.
Jordan Burroughs
"Bummed, first and foremost," is how 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs described his feelings to NBC Sports. "I just wanted to compete. It's been a while since I competed. I was excited to return to the mat. This was going to be a prestigious event that I got to do with my team members."
"Not only is this costly in terms of our training and competition schedule, but this is expensive," Burroughs continued. "This is an expensive lesson learned to buy 20 tickets to Iran, have them revoked and probably no reimbursement."
"Training comes to a halt. We're like 'OK, what do we do now? Where do we go? Where do we compete?'" said the four-time world champion. "I'm just bummed. I love Iran. I love their people, and I don't get into politics. I wasn't going to make a political stance. I was going to compete."
"There is such a common respect for wrestlers in Iran," Burroughs said. "They love wrestling. They're huge fans of mine. I'm bummed about that. I really wanted to be part of something great in what I consider a great country. Obviously, my views and our country's views are different."
The U.S. has sent wrestlers to meets in Iran a total of 15 times since 1998, with Burroughs part of the contingent at the 2013 Freestyle World Cup in Tehran. Conversely, Iranian wrestlers have competed in the U.S. a number of times, including last year's World Cup in Los Angeles.
"No one out there -- Donald Trump or the prime minister of Iran -- is purposely slighting the U.S. wrestling team," Burroughs said. "This is a much bigger picture and a much bigger story than our wrestling tournaments, but I'm bummed because I think this was a great opportunity for us to show goodwill toward them by coming into a country where our governments may have opposed each other."
''These decisions, these executive decisions, are always so far beyond your reach,'' Burroughs told the Associated Press. ''Like, you always feel like 'Well, the presidency or these strict laws or these Muslim bans or whatever you like to call them, they'll never affect me.' This is one of the few times where something so personal has occurred. Almost like it (was) handed down from the president to us."
Kyle Snyder at the 2016 World Cup in Los Angeles (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Kyle Snyder
"It's kind of a difficult situation, because at any moment, it could change," Kyle Snyder, 2016 Olympic gold medalist and Maryland native, told the Baltimore Sun Friday. "I was more hopeful early in the week, but it would be great if it happens. It's an important meet for us. It's an important meet for Iran. It's an important meet for the sport."
"Every Iranian I have come into contact with, there's a language barrier, but they've always been respectful to the U.S., and we've always been respectful to them," the Ohio State junior said. "They're good people, every guy I've met."
"I wasn't happy about it because I was excited to compete in the World Cup," Snyder said to the Columbus Dispatch Friday morning. "It's one of my favorite events, and I was going to get some matches that would have really been productive in my development. It could have helped my future in how I want to compete, and I could have learned about myself.
"But it is what it is. There's nothing I can really do about it. I'm not going to let it really affect me. I'm just going to go about the rest of my week and keep training. Now there will be a couple more Ohio State matches that I can make."
Snyder added that if the decision is reversed, he would feel no reservations about traveling to Iran.
"If they grant access for us to go, I'm not worried about my safety," the 2016 NCAA heavyweight champ said. "I don't think they would grant the access if that was an issue."
Zack Rey
Zack Rey, who wrestles at 125 kilograms/275 pounds and was slated to compete at the 2017 World Cup, had competed in Tehran, Iran in 2014 as part of another U.S. team.
"We were wrestling in an arena about half the size of what the NCAA tournament would wrestle in, but the crowd was still 20,000 people," the 2011 NCAA heavyweight champ for Lehigh University told the Allentown (Pa.) Morning Call. "You couldn't see any walkways, any stairways. People were on top of vending booths."
Here's how Rey described those Iranian fans: "Screaming with enthusiasm, and very knowledgeable of the sport. Win or lose, whoever was on the mat, they had a great appreciation for you because you were a wrestler."
"Jordan Burroughs beat their world finalist [Ezzatollah Akbari Zarinkolaei] and they gave him the longest standing ovation of the night because they have such a great respect," Rey said. "I was like his bodyguard when we left the arena. People wanted to hug him and get his autograph and get their picture taken with him."
David Taylor
David Taylor, a two-time NCAA champ and four-time Big Ten titlewinner for Penn State, was planning to wrestle for the U.S. at the 2017 World Cup.
"Ultimately, to have the opportunity to wrestle at the World Cup would have been good," Taylor told WHIO, a Dayton TV station based not far from St. Paris, Ohio, where he won four state titles for the storied Graham High School wrestling program. "I was looking forward to wrestling in Iran. Their fans are great, in terms of their support for the sport. But I love my country and I want what's best for the United States."
"The World Cup is a premier event, but in terms of options outside of it, we're talking through different scenarios," Taylor said. "Between everyone, we'll go with what's best for the United States moving forward. We'll be ready to wrestle at a moment's notice and we'll continue to look forward."
Logan Stieber
Fellow Ohioan Logan Stieber was blunt in his assessment of the 2017 World Cup situation.
"It stinks," Stieber, who joined the elite group of four-time NCAA champs as an Ohio State wrestler in 2015, told the Columbus Dispatch. "It would have been a great tournament to compete in. With all the political stuff going on, I can't say I'm surprised. It's unfortunate, but it's probably better and safer to let things cool down before doing that type of travel."
"The politics of what's happening now definitely overpowers any type of athletics," Stieber continued. "I'll move on and try to find another tournament to compete in. I had a little while (after the Freestyle World Cup) until I was to compete again. I have to look at my schedule and see what I can find."
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