Both teams were playing for pride having been eliminated from the finals race and favorite Iran proved too strong with a hard-fought 3-1 (27-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23) triumph - its fifth of a disappointing campaign.
The 19-year-old Kazemi provided the early spark with a commanding first set performance to finish with 12 points, including 4 blocks, and he was ably supported by top-scorer Milad Ebadipour (16 points) and Morteza Sharifi (12 points), while Myung-Geun Song (13 points) and Gyeong-Bok Na (13 points) led a dogged Korea, who played far better than their 1-12 record indicates.
It was just the second time the teams had met at the world major level and it was a high-octane affair with both sides playing aggressively with little at stake. Iran's firepower and skill proved too much for Korea, who fought relentlessly throughout and showcased a slew of astounding defensive efforts.
Iran plays Bulgaria on Saturday, while Korea faces Germany.