Vafaei, last month’s Snooker Shoot Out champion, got off to the best possible start by making a nice break of 122 in the opening frame on Wednesday.
But after wasting several chances in the following three frames, Higginson moved to within the brink of a place at the venue stages, nookerhq.com reported.
Contributions of 74 and 64 for Vafaei forced the deciding frame, though, which he duly won on the final black to ultimately emerge unscathed from the Welsh Open qualifying.
The Iranian will face England’s Robbie Williams in the first round when the tournament gets under way properly at the end of February in Newport.