Shakhtar Donetsk have called for Iran to be replaced by Ukraine at this year's World Cup in Qatar amid claims the Middle-Eastern country is supplying Russia with weapons.
The demand comes after England were asked to boycott their game against Iran over women's rights. Several protests against the regime have unfolded since Masha Amini, a 22-year-old woman, died after being detained for allegedly breaking strict hijab rules.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February and a war has raged since. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed Iranian "kamizake" drones have been used in Russian strikes on his nation, with the British government set to impose further sanctions on Iran.
Sergei Palkin, Shakhtar's CEO, has asked FIFA to ban Iran from the upcoming tournament and replace them with Ukraine, who failed to qualify. England's opening game of the tournament in Qatar is against Iran on November 21 - in just four weeks' time.
"This will be a fair decision that should draw the attention of the whole world to a regime that kills its best people and helps kill Ukrainians," said Palkin in a statement on Monday.
"The vacant place should be taken by the national team of Ukraine, which proved that it is worthy of participation in the mundial [World Cup]. With unequal conditions with other national teams during the play-offs, they played with their heart.
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"This decision is historically and sportingly justified. I urge everyone to join the pressure on the football bureaucracy. It is enough to repeat the mistakes of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, hiding behind the empty thesis about the apolitically of sports.
"Facilitating the participation of terrorists in the World Cup is politics. It’s time to put an end to such a policy."
Ukraine failed to qualify for this year's World Cup after losing 1-0 to Wales in a play-off. Russia are banned from entering FIFA and UEFA competitions due to their invasion of Ukraine.
The British government imposed sanctions on Iran's so-called morality police, who force women to adhere to the country's strict dress code. Women in Iran are subject to harassment, detention, torture and other ill-treatment on a daily basis.
Open Stadiums, who want to end the ill-treatment of women in Iran, have called on England to boycott their World Cup opener. Sara, a member of the Open Stadiums speaking under a pseudonym due to safety concerns, told Mirror Football earlier this month: "One thing we would really ask for the English FA is not to play against the regime team, refuse to give them a global stage because they are torturing and killing their own people.
"The World Cup also means lots of money, this regime will receive millions for playing. That’s not going to the players or for grassroots, it will be going to the regime for propaganda."
