Team Melli has been drawn along with Iraq, Yemen and Vietnam in Group D of the competition, scheduled for January in the UAE.
Carlos Queiroz’s men will meet Venezuela on Tuesday in Doha, Qatar as part of preparation for the AFC Asian Cup.
“We’ve chosen Venezuela since the team plays very well and they have so many European-based players. We have played Venezuela last year and we can see how we have improved in comparison to the last year,” Queiroz said.
“Without a doubt, the teams with better preparation have more chance of getting positive results in the Asian Cup. Japan, South Korea and Australia are the best Asian teams in term of improvement and preparation. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have also prepared well for the event,” he added.
“First, we are going to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup last four. The Asian Cup is the most difficult team. Iran traveled to Russia for its honor and pride but in the Asian Cup we want to win the title,” Queiroz concluded.