Iran's Omid Nor Afkan, right, and Iraq's Ali Ibrahim Alzubaidi run for the ball during their 2022 World Cup qualifier soccer match, at the Azadi stadium in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Iran became the first team from Asia to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 win over Iraq. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The Associated Press
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Mehdi Taremi scored from close range Thursday to lead Iran's national soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Iraq and seal the Islamic Republic's third straight World Cup berth.
Taremi, the FC Porto striker, scored the only goal of the game in the 48th minute in the second half. He scored from inside the penalty box on a pass from midfield Ali Reza Jahanbakhsh.
Iran's win came in Group A of the Asia region.
The win at Tehran Azadi stadium was Iran's earliest jump into the qualifiers. It marked the sixth time Iran has earned a spot in the World Cup in the nation's history.
Despite the fast spread of the aggressive omicron variant of the coronavirus in Iran, the government Wednesday approved the presence of some 10,000 spectators in the 100,000-seat stadium.
More than 2,000 were women. It was the second major soccer event that Iranian women have watched in the stadium. In 2019, for the first time in decades, hundreds of Iranian women were allowed to watch Persepolis play the Kashima Antlers of Japan in the Asian Champions League final.
FIFA had long demanded that Iran provide assurances that women will be allowed to attend 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Women have been mainly prohibited from attending men's games and other sports events in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Iraq's Saad Abdulameer, right, follows Iran's Milad Sarlak during their 2022 World Cup qualifier soccer match, at the Azadi stadium in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Iran became the first team from Asia to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 win over Iraq. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The Associated Press
Female Iranian fans celebrate qualifying for 2022 World Cup qualifiers, after their national soccer team defeated Iraq, at the Azadi stadium in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Iranian authorities allowed women to watch a football match at the stadium as hardliners have long opposed the decision of the government. Iran became the first team from Asia to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 win over Iraq. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The Associated Press
Female Iranian fans celebrate qualifying for 2022 World Cup qualifiers, after their national soccer team defeated Iraq, at the Azadi stadium in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Iranian authorities allowed women to watch a football match at the stadium as hardliners have long opposed the decision of the government. Iran became the first team from Asia to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 win over Iraq. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The Associated Press
A female Iranian fan holds up a portrait of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in Iraq in a U.S. drone attack in 2020, as she celebrates qualifying for 2022 World Cup, after defeating Iraq at the Azadi stadium in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Iranian authorities allowed women to watch a football match at the stadium as hardliners have long opposed the decision of the government. Iran became the first team from Asia to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 win over Iraq. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The Associated Press
Iranian female fans flash the victory sign as one of them holds up a portrait of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in Iraq in a U.S. drone attack in 2020, while they celebrates qualifying for 2022 World Cup, after defeating Iraq at the Azadi stadium in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Iranian authorities allowed women to watch a football match at the stadium as hardliners have long opposed the decision of the government. Iran became the first team from Asia to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 win over Iraq. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The Associated Press
Iran's soccer player Omid Nor Afkan carries his national flag as he celebrates qualifying for 2022 World Cup after defeating Iraq, at the Azadi stadium in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Iran became the first team from Asia to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 win over Iraq. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The Associated Press
Iran's soccer players Saman Ghoddoos, top, Amir Abed Zadeh, bottom right, and Hossein Kanani celebrate qualifying for 2022 World Cup after defeating Iraq, at the Azadi stadium in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Iran became the first team from Asia to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 win over Iraq. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The Associated Press
Iran's soccer player Saman Ghoddoos, right, carries his national flag as he celebrates qualifying for 2022 World Cup after defeating Iraq, as Iraq's Ali Ibrahim Alzubaidi, sits, at the Azadi stadium in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Iran became the first team from Asia to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 win over Iraq. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The Associated Press
Iran's Saeid Ezatolahi, right, and Iraq's Bashar Resan Bonyan go for the ball during their 2022 World Cup qualifier soccer match, at the Azadi stadium in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Iran became the first team from Asia to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 win over Iraq. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The Associated Press
Iranian women enter the Azadi stadium to watch a soccer match of their national team with Iraq during 2022 World Cup qualifiers, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Iranian authorities allowed women to watch a football match at the stadium as hardliners have long opposed the decision of the government. Iran became the first team from Asia to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 win over Iraq. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The Associated Press