Iran names squad ahead of Kuwait match

Javad Nekounam remains out of squad due to his season-long injury, and National team captain Mehdi Mahdavikia is the main absentee suffering from his recent back injury.

Other absentees include Javad Kazemian, Vahid Taleblou and Mohamad Nosrati who have been left out of Iran's new squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifier match against Kuwait.

Iran's national football team will play Bahrain in a friendly match on March 21 before competing Kuwait in the second match of the 2010 World Cup qualifier on March 26.

Iran is in Group five of Asian World Cup qualifying tournament with Kuwait, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.

Goalkeepers:
Seyyed Mahdi Rahmati, Hassan Roudbarian, Misaq Me'marzadeh

Defenders:
Seyyed Jalal Hosseini, Hadi Aqili, Amir Hossein Sadeqi, Hanif Omranzadeh, Mohsen Bengar, Pejman Nouri, Sattar Zare'

Midfielders:
Hossein Ka'bi, Majid Gholamnejad, Seyyed Hashem Beykzadeh, Andranik Teymourian, Ibrahim Sadeqi, Abbas Aqaei, Iman Mobali, Reza Khaleqifar, Vahid Amraei, Alireza Vahedi-Nikbakht, Milad Zeneyedpour, Mehrzad Madanchi, Ali Karimi, Mojtaba Jabbari, Mas'oud Shojaei, Maziar Zare'

Strikers:
Vahid Hashemian, Mohsen Khalili, Alireza Abbasfard, Milad Meydavoudi