Diplomats usually choose their words carefully.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin chose something else: celebration.
After Iran’s national team was eliminated from the World Cup before reaching the knockout rounds, Mullin openly welcomed the result and made clear there was no disappointment in Washington from his side of the table.
Speaking at a World Cup security briefing in Washington, Mullin said he was “so glad they’re gone” and added that he was “very happy they’re going back because there wasn't a single team that we dealt with more than them.”
Then came the line that grabbed attention.
According to Sports Business Journal, Mullin said he did a “happy dance” after learning Iran had been knocked out.
Iran narrowly missed advancing despite drawing all three of its Group G matches. The team ultimately finished as the ninth-best third-place squad after Austria scored a late goal against Algeria in the final round of group-stage play. Only the top eight third-place teams moved on to the round of 32.
For Mullin, though, the result appeared to mean more than sports.
His comments reflected the reality that international tournaments are not always just about soccer. Major global events bring security coordination, diplomatic friction, logistical challenges, and in some cases heightened concerns involving specific delegations and state actors.
Mullin’s remarks suggested Iran created more headaches than any other team participating in the tournament — a detail that turned what could have been a routine sports update into something larger.
Predictably, the comments drew attention because American officials rarely speak this directly. But in an era where public officials increasingly abandon scripted language and say what they actually think, Mullin showed little interest in pretending disappointment he clearly did not feel.
International competition may be about goals on the scoreboard. Government officials, meanwhile, tend to keep score in different ways.
And judging by Mullin’s reaction, Iran’s tournament ended with at least one celebration taking place far from the field.
