Paris: Rare photos have emerged depicting the journey of Iran's national football team during the 1998 World Cup, marking their return to the global stage after a 20-year hiatus. Iran was the 32nd and final team to qualify for the tournament held in France. They were placed in a challenging group alongside the United States, Germany, and Yugoslavia.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran's campaign began with a closely contested match against Yugoslavia at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-€š¬°tienne, where they narrowly lost 1-0. The team rebounded in their second match against the United States at the Stade de Gerland in Lyon, securing a historic 2-1 victory with goals from Hamid Estili and Mehdi Mahdavikia. Despite their efforts, Iran concluded the group stage with a 2-0 loss to Germany at the Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier.