Kahveh Zahiroleslam @ Sint-Truiden 2023-24

[PSGman#19]

Yeah that's basically what Daleho Irandust did. He had the option to represent either Sweden or Iran, the Iranian federation contacted him, and he said fuck no to the Islamic Republic of Iran. He played a few friendlies for Sweden and is only playing club football now.

Amin Nazari (brother of Omid Nazari) also had the option to play for Sweden, Iran, or the Philippines, and ended up playing only for Sweden youth and the Philippines. Alecko Eskandarian ended up only playing for the US after his dad played for Iran pre-1979, and Amir Bashti and Daniel Karbassiyoon played for US youth teams.

Daniel Arzani is realistically the only one who currently has an actual chance to get called up for another national team (Australia) again.

The fact that Kahveh has gone to Iran in the past goes to show that he's not in the same situation as the likes of Daleho Irandust, so playing for Iran is a possibility.

Playing with another NT at youth level is ok, as you can change your NT, and you can use it to get better club opportunities. Playing for another TM at senior level, even for friendlies is something else

[Team Melli Fan]

Playing with another NT at youth level is ok, as you can change your NT, and you can use it to get better club opportunities. Playing for another TM at senior level, even for friendlies is something else

Ghoddos played for Sweden at senior level.

[Gol Bezan]

As I mentioned in my tweet.

He shouldn't have to come out and say 'I'm going to play for Iran'. Why should he? He said himself he hasn't decided simply because neither has shown interest. Why would he say I'm choosing one or the other if neither have called him.

Also regarding the cap tie comment, it's happened before. Saman played a friendly for Sweden and played for Iran in the end. Although I think the way the calendar is looking now, I don't there is much opportunity for friendly matches. I think his best bet is playing for USA in the Olympics.

End of the day, there's absolutely nothing he can do until he gets a call. All he can do now is keep scoring and hope a call comes.

I can safely say though. He is absolutely a team melli fan and follows the team very closely.

[Pluto2000]

We need to just make Gol Bezan our federation more effort into TM growth than they've done ever

[Gol Bezan]

We need to just make Gol Bezan our federation more effort into TM growth than they've done ever

Hahaha that's very kind. It's not our job to 'scout' players, but we've almost had to make it a priority to some extent because we know without it the IFF won't put in the time and resources to scout players abroad.

[PSGman#19]

I wonder if IFF genuinely don't care about expats or automatically consider them as a lost cause considering the huge gap between the west and Iran atm and the fact very few top players come from there

[PEJ]

Kaveh, you can go to the US team and be an afterthought after a few games there or come to Iran and be a legend. There is only one path to greatness!

[Team Melli Fan]

I wonder if IFF genuinely don't care about expats or automatically consider them as a lost cause considering the huge gap between the west and Iran atm and the fact very few top players come from there

I think IRIFF is scared to introduce diaspora players because they don’t want another Daleho Irandust situation.
Queiroz was the one who brought in the recent players (Dejagah, Ghoochannejhad, Omid Nazari, William Atashkadeh, Daniel Davari, Beitashour, Ghoddos). Ivankovic introduced Ferydoon Zandi. Both Queiroz and Ivankovic are foreign managers.
I don't think it's a matter of talent with the diaspora players, as the likes of Kahveh, Dennis Eckert Ayensa, Paya Pichkah, Arash Motaraghebjafarpour, Alessandro Hojabrpour, Kaveh Rad, etc. arguably do have the talent at least for the youth national teams. We've seen how important diaspora players like Dejagah, Ghoddos, Zandi, and Ghoochannejhad have been for TM in the past.

perspolis#1 also made a good point about the hurdles and stigma he would face as an Iranian-American in Iran (even with Beitashour having been included in the past). I think most of the people would be pretty warm and welcoming, but the BS he would have to face with the government would be like what I mentioned with Ghoddos and others. I think that's why Kahveh said his decision has kind of changed within the past 3 years, especially with the Mahsa Amini protests.

[Iran_19]

Good job Arya, great interview. Thanks


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[perspolis#1]

I wonder if IFF genuinely don't care about expats or automatically consider them as a lost cause considering the huge gap between the west and Iran atm and the fact very few top players come from there

I don't think its about the lack of prospects rising from the diaspora because any worthwhile talent we did try to get. Zandi from Germany U21 and Kaiserslautern, Gucci from Holland, Dejagah from Wolfsburg and Germany U21 etc.

I think its because it opens TM players to "less control" from nonfootballing sources especially when Its an Iranian-American. Kaveh seems like a great kid and he is going to humanize diaspora for bache mahals like Torabi.

I guarantee you right now IFF and IR are at a loss/working on how they are going to limit diaspora attendance to the next world cup because otherwise it will get very "ugly" for them.

I don't want to force Kaveh as the point of this nonfootballing discussion, because as an Iranian-American its not his fault to worry about this.

All he wants is to play for his country(if he plays for Iran). Its other forces that might get in the way for their own agenda.

[Nokhodi]

Just have him speak to Behring Safari. He’s then guy who told Saman he regretted picking Sweden and would have picked TM if he could start again.

as for Irandust, he didn’t reject IR, he rejected Iran.

[Team Melli Fan]

Just have him speak to Behring Safari. He’s then guy who told Saman he regretted picking Sweden and would have picked TM if he could start again.

as for Irandust, he didn’t reject IR, he rejected Iran.

The Safari thing is a rumor in Iranian media and here on PFDC. Haven’t seen it anywhere in Swedish or western media.

Irandust rejected the Islamic Republic of Iran because his family was persecuted by the IR regime and fled to Sweden. Similar to Poya Asbaghi and countless others.

But like I said, the fact that Kahveh has visited Iran shows that he and his family are not in the same predicament as Irandust, so he very well could still don the TM jersey.

[PSGman#19]

I don't think its about the lack of prospects rising from the diaspora because any worthwhile talent we did try to get. Zandi from Germany U21 and Kaiserslautern, Gucci from Holland, Dejagah from Wolfsburg and Germany U21 etc.

I think its because it opens TM players to "less control" from nonfootballing sources especially when Its an Iranian-American. Kaveh seems like a great kid and he is going to humanize diaspora for bache mahals like Torabi.

I guarantee you right now IFF and IR are at a loss/working on how they are going to limit diaspora attendance to the next world cup because otherwise it will get very "ugly" for them.

I don't want to force Kaveh as the point of this nonfootballing discussion, because as an Iranian-American its not his fault to worry about this.

All he wants is to play for his country(if he plays for Iran). Its other forces that might get in the way for their own agenda.

I don't know, IFF is lazy af and GN completely illiterate. CQ was pushing them at that time. Now, they aren't pushed. And they saw we didn't have any messi or mbappe coming out of the diaspora (either for TM or other NT). And contrary to other NT like iraq, syria, morocco, they just see we got equivalent or slightly better players coming from Iran (Azmoun, Taremi, Ezza, JB, Daei, neku, Mahdavikia..) than diaspora (ghoddos, gucci, dejagah, zandi..).

Dont forget, iranians are the the biggest kharejiparast in the world. However, surprisingly, in situations where they would be right to be kharejiparast, they suddenly become Iranian patriots and rather keep iranian garbage (GN over foreign coach, IPL mediocre players over diaspora ones)

[Mahsaa]

ist it sad to have these kinds of talents and not knowing what if they were in our squad ? I mean maybe he is no TM material, but maybe if you testet him you saw that he is better than all of your strikers !?

just invite and test them before its too late

thanks to golbezan !!!!!

he is 21 and 1.93 , damn !!! 99,9% that he would have helped us more than moghanloo and asadi

[Super Shojaei]

Just call up him and Eckert don’t get why it’s so difficult they’re both better than our 3rd and 4th choice