Forward Shahriyar Moghanlou selected for Iran's initial World Cup roster

Moghanlou, who netted eight times in the recently concluded UAE Pro League season, teams up with Kalba colleague Saman Ghoddos in the provisional squad. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei must trim the group to 26 players by June 1.

This inclusion could provide encouragement for omitted forward Sardar Azmoun, another UAE Pro League participant, suggesting his World Cup aspirations may still be alive.

Rouzbeh Cheshmi, the midfielder who sustained a hamstring injury during training this week, will depart the Antalya base to undergo treatment, according to team officials.

The squad, set to face Gambia in Antalya on May 29, also confirmed an additional friendly against Mali on June 4, just before their scheduled departure for the United States the following day.

On Thursday, the players primarily remained in Ankara, Turkey's capital, completing visa applications for travel to Canada and the US.

Iran will play all three group stage matches in the US, beginning with their June 15 encounter against New Zealand in Los Angeles. Potential advancement to the knockout phase might require travel to Canada.

Mehdi Taj, president of Iran's football federation (FFIRI), was denied entry to Canada for last month's FIFA Congress due to his associations with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Both US and Canadian authorities, co-hosts of the tournament alongside Mexico, designate the IRGC as a terrorist organisation and have explicitly stated they will bar entry to individuals connected with this military branch.