Saeid Saharkhizan, a player of Iran’s U23 national football team, expressed hope that they will achieve the best results in the upcoming 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Speaking about the training camp, Saharkhizan said: “I am very happy to be part of this camp. It is a great honor for any player to be invited to the national team, and I am no exception.”

He added: “Many of us have played together in the youth team, so we already know each other. We have a strong coaching staff with clear ideas, and we believe we can build a team worthy of Iran’s name. That’s why we will try to secure maximum points in the upcoming matches and qualify as group leaders. There are no easy games, and every three points matter.”

Regarding the friendly match against Chinese Taipei, Saharkhizan explained: “The coaching staff decided to play this game as preparation for our first match against Hong Kong in the qualifiers. Mentally, this game will help us get ready for that challenge.”

On the rescheduling of two matches from 17:30 to 18:30 local time, he said: “Considering the weather conditions in the UAE, the later kick-off time will benefit us. We appreciate the federation’s efforts in negotiating this. Regardless of the time, we will do our best to put on a strong performance.”

Saharkhizan concluded by thanking the players, staff, and federation officials: “Coach Omid Ravankhah has worked hard to prepare the team for the competition. We are also grateful to the federation president for providing the training camp conditions. We will do our best to achieve results that make the Iranian people proud and happy.”