Iran coach Carlos Queiroz’s preliminary 30-man squad for the FIFA World Cup has been named. The team parades ten foreign-based players with two England-based players Fulham midfielder Ashkan Dejagah and Charlton Athletic striker Reza Ghoochannejhad.
The team will be cut to 23-man on or before June 2. Iran will be playing in her fourth World Cup tournament in Group F alongside Argentina, Nigeria and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Their opening match is on June 16 against Nigeria.
Iran squad
Goalkeepers: Daniel Davari (Eintracht Braunschweig/GER), Rahman Ahmadi (Sepahan Isfahan), Alireza Haqiqi (Sporting da Covilha/POR), Sosha Makani (Foolad), Ali Reza Biranvand (Naft Tehran)
Defenders: Hossein Mahini (Persepolis), Jalal Hosseini (Persepolis), Ehsan Hajsafi (Sepahan Isfahan), Amir Hossein Sadeqi (Esteghlal), Hashem Beykzadeh (Esteghlal), Khosrow Heidari (Esteghlal), Ahmad Alenemeh (Naft Tehran), Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh (Zob Ahan Isfahan), Pejman Montazeri (Umm Salal SC/QAT), Steven Beitashour (Vancouver Whitecaps FC/CAN)
Midfielders: Mehrdad Pouladi (Persepolis), Reza Haghighi (Persepolis), Andranik Teymourian (Esteghlal), Ghasem Hadadifar (Zob Ahan Isfahan), Bakhtiar Rahmani (Foolad), Javad Nekounam (Kuwait SC/KUW), Ashkan Dejagah (Fulham/ENG), Masoud Shojaei (UD Las Palmas/ESP)
Forwards: Mohammad Reza Khalatbari (Persepolis), Mehdi Sharifi (Sepahan Isfahan), Karim Ansarifard (Tractor Sazi), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Charlton Athletic/ENG), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (NEC/NED), Sardar Azmoun (FC Rubin Kazan/RUS), Reza Norouzi (Naft Tehran)