TEHRAN - The Iranian national team face a race against time as captain Alireza Jahanbakhsh continues to struggle with an injury sustained during his match against La Louviere.

Despite 23 days having passed since the incident, which forced him to miss three club matches, Jahanbakhsh remains sidelined and unable to participate in full training.

His condition has become a primary concern for the coaching staff as they finalize preparations for the upcoming World Cup. During intra-squad scrimmage at the team’s training camp in Turkey, Jahanbakhsh was kept out of action. Denis Dargahi also missed the session, though his absence was attributed to his late arrival at the camp rather than injury.

The current status of the skipper is a significant blow to the squad’s cohesion, as he continues to undergo a recovery program tailored to his specific needs.

Iran, drawn into a challenging Group E alongside Egypt, Belgium, and New Zealand, will be banking on their captain’s fitness as they finalize their roster for the global tournament.

With the tournament fast approaching, the medical team is working around the clock to ensure Jahanbakhsh can regain match fitness in time to lead his side on the world stage.