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Iran bars US wrestlers after Trump’s travel ban

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In this August 19, 2016 file photo, United States' Jordan Ernest Burroughs, left, competes against Uzbekistan's Bekzod Abdurakhmonov during the men's 74-kg freestyle wrestling competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Iran on Friday banned US wrestlers from this month’s Freestyle World Cup in response to President Donald Trump's executive order forbidding visas for Iranians. Photo: AP

Iran on Friday banned American wrestlers from taking part in a competition in the country, in what appears to be the first action taken by Tehran in response to President Trump forbidding visas for Iranian nationals.

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The Freestyle World Cup is scheduled for February 16-17 in the western city of Kermanshah and USA Wrestling was due to attend the competition. But according to Iran’s official state-run news agency IRNA, the Iranian foreign ministry said that it had to ban the wrestlers because of Trump’s executive order.

The travel ban covers seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, and the White House has also put the country “on notice” for a recent missile test. Trump is also dissatisfied with the Iran nuclear deal reached by the US and five other world powers. The White House said it is preparing to impose new sanctions on Iran.

“Iran is playing with fire — they don’t appreciate how ”kind“ President Obama was to them. Not me!” Trump tweeted Friday.

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There was no immediate response from USA Wrestling.

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