TEHRAN - After a three-month hiatus, Greece’s Sotiris Manolopoulos is set to return to Tehran this Tuesday, marking a critical turning point in Iran’s preparation for the remainder of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.

The head coach, who has been away since the conclusion of the second qualifying window, will arrive on May 26th to oversee a rigorous training camp starting June 1st. His return signals the restart of Iran’s campaign, which was abruptly disrupted in March following regional security tensions that led to the cancellation of the match against Syria.

Before the national team camp officially begins, Manolopoulos will waste no time in assessing the domestic talent pool. He is scheduled to attend the West Asia Basketball Club Championship qualifiers in Karaj, where he will closely scout players to finalize his squad list for the upcoming international fixtures.

Mohsen Moezifar, Secretary of the Iranian Basketball Federation, confirmed the news to reporters, signaling that the federation is fully aligned with the coach’s road map.

The road ahead is demanding. The Iranian squad faces a packed schedule in Jordan, which has been designated by FIBA as the host venue for the upcoming games:

• June 29: The rescheduled second-window clash against Syria
• July 2: The return leg against Jordan (Third Window)
• July 5: The return leg against Syria (Third Window)