The Portuguese coach will be without the services of Saeid Ezatollahi (Reading) and Ali Gholizadeh (Charleroi) who suffered an injury ahead of the competition.
Iran has been pitted against Iraq, Vietnam and Yemen in Group D.
Team Melli will start the campaign with a match against Yemen on January 7 at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
The 2019 AFC Asian Cup will be held in the United Arab Emirates from January 5 to February 1.
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis), Amir Abedzadeh (Maritimo), Payam Niazmand (Sepahan)
Defenders:
Morteza Pouraliganji (KAS Eupen), Ramin Rezaeian (Al-Shahania SC), Milad Mohammadi (Akhmat Grozny), Vouria Ghafouri (Esteghlal), Mohammadhossein Kananizadegan (Machine Sazi), Majid Hossein (Trabzonspor) Ehsan Hajsafi (Tractor Sazi), Pejman Montazeri (Esteghlal)
Midfielders:
Vahid Amiri (Trabzonspor), Omid Ebrahimi (Qatar’s Al Ahli), Ashkan Dejagah (Tractor Sazi), Rouzbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Masoud Shojaei (Tractor Sazi), Ahmad Nourollahi (Persepolis)
Strikers:
Karim Ansarifard (Nottingham Forest), Mehdi Taremi (Al Gharafa), Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan), Mehdi Torabi (Persepolis), Saman Ghoddos (Amiens) , Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Brighton & Hove Albion)