MUSCAT: Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter was quoted as saying ‘Iran should be excluded from the World Cup finals,’ by Blick, the popular Swiss tabloid.

He believes Iran Iran should be barred from the World Cup amid widespread protests in the Islamic Republic, sparked by the death of a woman in the custody of moral police.

According to the publication, Blatter has demanded harsh measures against Iran, saying that he would have excluded Iran from the world championship if he was still the president of FIFA. The newspaper added that Blatter was surprised that the current FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, did not take a clear position on Iran.

Iran is due to appear at their third consecutive World Cup in Qatar, opening their Group B campaign against England on November 21.