Iran teams' AFC Champions League matches moved to UAE

The Asian Football Confederation said the ties - Shahr Khodro FC of Iran v Riffa of Bahrain and Iran's Esteghlal FC v Kuwait SC - will now be played in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, January 25.

Both the matches were scheduled to be played in Iran on Tuesday but were postponed and "moved to neutral venues because of ongoing security concerns and the decision of several governments to issue travel warnings to the Islamic Republic of Iran," said an AFC statement.

Tensions were raised earlier this month by the killing of an Iranian army general by a US drone strike in Iraq.

The four football teams representing Iran in the AFC Champions League -- Esteghlal, Persepolis, Sepahan and Shahr Khodro -- have all threatened to boycott the competition if they are banned from hosting matches.