Vafaei will play the winner of the Graeme Dott and Ashley Carty match in the Last 16.
The competition runs from September 25 to October 1.
The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse hosts the third world ranking event of the 2023-24 season, with Ryan Day defending the Clive Everton Trophy against many of snooker’s biggest stars.
World No.1 Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the tournament due to medical reasons.