Iran coach Carlos Queiroz stopped from leaving the country
Iran coach Carlos Queiroz has been prevented from leaving the country over unpaid taxes.
The former Real Madrid head coach was stopped on Saturday from flying out of the country for friendlies against Chile and Sweden, leaving his players to travel to Europe alone.
The incident comes one day after Queiroz resigned from his post, citing "external pressures" despite signing a contract extension through 2018 six months ago."Mr Queiroz was told he is subject to a prohibition on leaving the country for non-payment of taxes. The players left without him," the official IRNA news agency said.
However, a later report by the ISNA news agency said the tax problem had been solved and Queiroz was set to rejoin his squad.
"The federation is trying to put him on the first plane," said Alireza Assadi, general secretary of the Iranian Football Federation (IFF).
The incident was the latest run-in the former Manchester United assistant has had in Iran. Queiroz's future as national boss had been in doubt since before last summer's World Cup where his side had a chaotic build-up to the finals.
Despite winning respect at the finals in Brazil for shaping a plucky team out of a modestly talented squad, Iran ultimately lost out in the first round. His abrupt resignation on Friday appeared to signal he and Iranian officials were at odds again.
"I didn't want to leave and was not even thinking about it," he told the Fars news agency on Friday.
"It was not in my control and it was not my decision. Even my boss didn't want this but unfortunately both sides were forced to agree on this because of pressures."
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