U.S. team to wrestle in Iran

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- The U.S. wrestling team will compete in Iran's Takhti Cup despite Iran's boycott of this week's World Cup in the United States, the Iran Wrestling Federation said Tuesday.

Federation president Mohammadreza Taleqani said four American Greco-Roman wresters and their coach will arrive on Wednesday, and five more U.S. freestyle wresters team will land Sunday.

"The Americans accepted our invitation without hesitation," Taleqani told The Associated Press. "This means the world of athletics would be always safe and peaceful without any political interference."

Taleqani said 15 teams have pulled out of the tournament, specially because of the war in neighboring Iraq.

The Greco-Roman bouts in the Takhti Cup will be held Thursday and Friday in Sanandaj, 512 kilometers (318 miles) west of Tehran. The freestyle matches will be in Tehran on May 22-23.

Iran boycotted the world freestyle wrestling championships in New York because of a U.S. policy requiring team members to be fingerprinted on entering the United States.

Taleqani said the U.S. federation has officially invited the Iranian federation to send a team in September, indicating the team "faces no problem."

"The world bouts in the U.S. will help the Iranian wrestlers make success in Athens Olympic Games in 2004," Taleqani said. "It is too difficult to qualify for the Olympics without pitting the wrestlers in the world competitions."

Iran has won many Olympic medals in wrestling, a sport Iranians are passionate about.