Iran has confirmed that its national football squad will travel to Turkey for a training camp as part of preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup

Iran national football team will travel to Turkey on Monday for a preparatory training camp ahead of the FIFA World Cup, with head coach Amir Ghalenoei confirming the squad will also play friendly matches and complete visa formalities before departing for the United States.

Team Melli are set to return to Antalya, where they previously held a training camp and played friendlies in March.

A 30-man squad has been selected for the trip, although the final World Cup roster must be reduced to 26 players. Among the most recognisable names is 33-year-old former FC Porto striker Mehdi Taremi, who now plays for Olympiacos F.C..

“Selecting 30 players for this final training camp ahead of the World Cup was the most difficult technical decision of my coaching career,” Ghalenoei told the Iranian football federation website, stressing that his choices were based entirely on “technical criteria”.

Iran are hoping to arrange two friendly matches during the camp in Antalya. One fixture has already been confirmed — against Gambia national football team on 29 May — according to Iranian-Canadian organiser Sam Mehdizadeh, whose company coordinates friendlies for the national side.

With diplomatic relations between Iran and the United States severed since 1980, the players are expected to use their stay in Turkey to complete visa procedures.

“No visas have been issued yet,” Iranian football federation president Mehdi Taj told local media on Thursday.

Taj said the squad would likely undergo fingerprinting in Turkey as part of the visa process, while trying to avoid the more than 450-kilometre journey from Antalya to Ankara.

He is also expected to meet Gianni Infantino as Tehran seeks assurances for the team amid tensions linked to the ongoing conflict in the region. Taj and the Iranian delegation met Turkish Football Federation president Ibrahim Ethem Haciosmanoglu and FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom in Istanbul on Saturday.

“The meeting reviewed the Iranian national team’s training camp and preparations in Turkey ahead of the World Cup,” the Turkish Football Federation said on social media.

Once in the United States, Iran will establish their base camp in Tucson.

Iran are scheduled to begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand national football team in Los Angeles on 15 June, before facing Belgium national football team in the same city and Egypt national football team in Seattle in Group G.