Iran, on 10 points, leads the standings ahead of Uzbekistan on goal difference with both sitting six clear of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar after just four matches.
Seeking a fourth consecutive appearance at the FIFA World Cup and seventh overall, Iran's qualification campaign has been serene.
The opening two matchdays saw the Central Asian side registering 1-0 wins over Kyrgyzstan and UAE, with a tough 0-0 draw with Uzbekistan following.
Iran, however, was at its scorching best against Qatar on Matchday Four as it cruised to an emphatic 4-1 win and with its key players all available, it will fancy its chances against DPR Korea in the neutral venue of Lao National Stadium KM16 in Vientiane.
While DPR Korea still has a mathematical chance of securing one of the two top spots which will guarantee automatic qualification, it will need to win its remaining matches and hope other results go in its favor.
With just two points on the board, victory is a must against Iran and DPR Korea can be expected to produce its best as it strives to keep their campaign alive.