MP Mohammad Azizi, a member of the Iranian parliament’s sports committee said that It is OK if Iran’s sports get suspended for pressuring Iranian athletes not to face Israeli opponents.

Iran’s parliament passed a bill on Tuesday that forbids participation in any sports event along with Israel. The details of the bill are to be passed in the parliament and has to be approved by the Guardian Council in order for it to become law.

The US State Department’s Twitter account warned that the bill could lead to permanent isolation of Iranian sports from all international arenas, including next year’s Olympics in Tokyo, all because of the regime’s hatred of Israel.

However, MP Mohammad Azizi pointed out in an Interview with Etemad Online that the Islamic Republic regime of Iran does not recognize Israel as a country and said: “Refusing to face Israeli athletes is an ideological issue for us.”

He added: So what if Iran’s sports are suspended? I say let us get suspended. We cannot violate our ideological beliefs. If they are going to suspend us, so be it.”

MP Azizi was previously arrested for his role in financial corruption in the auto industry and was later released on bail.