Berlin: Iran fears its national soccer team could be the target of a terrorist attack at the World Cup, Germany's Interior Ministry has said.
Iranian officials are worried that dissident groups - like the People's Mujahadeen - opposed to president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his regime could become violent at the June 9-July 9 World Cup.
"They have told us they believe their team could be the victim of a terrorist attack," German Interior Ministry spokesman Christian Sachs said on Wednesday.
"We have no indication anything is planned, but we take this very seriously."
The three other teams causing the most security concerns are Saudi Arabia - also afraid of anti-government groups - and the United States and England, because of their alliance during the Iraq war.
"I have great hope the World Cup will go off without harm," said Deputy Interior Minister August Hanning. "We can't rule out surprises, but we have taken every precaution."
Exactly how many police officers or security personnel will be used at games is hard to determine because the nine German states where matches will be played are responsible for their own security.
The 32 teams at the tournament will send a combined 500 police officers from their own countries, with 300 more coming from the European Union.
England leads with 40 officers, who will act as "spotters" and report on any hooligans they recognise from home.
Prostitution has also been in the spotlight because it is legal in Germany, where it is argued that women are better protected from pimps and disease.
Germany has about 400,000 registered prostitutes and there are claims that up to 20,000 women - mostly from poorer eastern European nations - could be forced into the profession during the event.
"There are differences of opinion (about prostitution), but because it's legal in Germany we will pay special attention to it during the World Cup and try to get at the heart of the problem," Hanning said.
There are other issues that are becoming less important for World Cup organisers.
Last November, 30 Germans and 55 Poles were arrested after a brawl in a forest near the two countries' border, leading to fears of a new wave of hooliganism at the tournament.
But Hanning - a former head of Germany's foreign intelligence agency - said that Polish hooligans, who authorities are most afraid of, are violent at club games but not internationals.
"That is what we have been told by Polish authorities and what we are concerned about is across-the-border violence," he said.
Large TV screens all across Germany will broadcast games and there are concerns that hooligans or terrorists will target them.
But the German states have recently adopted tight controls - assigning them police officers and requiring fencing, backpack checks and security guards - at the public viewing areas.
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