Story highlights The USA wrestling team was caught in the diplomatic tension between the US and Iran

The US, Iran and Russia are wrestling's international powerhouses

Kermanshah, Iran (CNN) The journey to this week's freestyle wrestling World Cup in Iran was an exhausting one for the US team -- and not only because of the long trip from the US to the Iranian city Kermanshah, with two stopovers in Frankfurt and Tehran.

It was the diplomatic hurdles that had stressed Team USA out. The wrestlers were caught in the most recent escalation between Tehran and the new Trump administration, and their visas did not come through until the last minute.

"It was difficult. There was a period of time where we were like, are we going, are we not going?" US Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs told CNN. "It was difficult being pawns in the game of political powers that were essentially deciding our fate."

Iran initially denied visas for the American wrestlers in retaliation for the Trump administration's travel ban against people from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran.

It wasn't until US courts put the ban on hold, and officials from both the American and Iranian Wrestling Federations put in some lobbying, that the visas were finally granted.

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