(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-04-27 22:01

TEHRAN  -- The invitation letter of the US Football Federation for the Iranian football teem to camp in the United States was received last night, the student ISNA news agency reported on Sunday.

Mehdi Taj, the deputy in chief of Iran Football Federation, in an interview with the sports correspondent of ISNA, said that "It was some time ago that the US Football Federation recommended orally the camping of the Iranian national football team in the United States and holding friendly matches with the US national football team, but we asked them to make it official."

He added that the US official invitation letter was received last night and it was referred by the Iranian Football Federation to the National Teams Committee to consider.

"In case camping in the US and holding friendly matches there is approved by the National Teams Committee and Ali Daei, the Iranian national team coach, and the International Council of Physical Training Organization accordingly, the camping will be held there", Taj said.

The letter from the Football Federation of the United States invites Iran national football team to camp in the United States from June 23 to July 3 this year.

Tehran and Washington broke up diplomatic ties in 1980 after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution and the succedent hostage incident of US embassy which was taken over by the Islamic students.

Relations between the two long foes have deteriorated in recent years due to Tehran's controversial nuclear program. The United States and some of its allies accused Iran of using a civilian cover to develop atomic weapons, but Iran denied all the accusations, saying it's nuclear plan was just for peaceful purposes.