New Delhi, June 2 -- Iran finalized a 26-man World Cup squad on Monday to play in the United States including 17 home-based players whose clubs have not played since February due to the Middle East regional war.

Star forward Mehdi Taremi, who plays in Greece for Olympiakos, was among nine overseas players but they did not include his strike partner at the 2022 World Cup, Sardar Azmoun.

Azmoun was dropped from coach Amir Ghalenoei's squad in March, reportedly because of a social media post that angered Iranian authorities during the ongoing war with the United States and Israel. His teammate at Dubai club Shabab Al-Ahli, Saeid Ezatolahi, was picked.

Iran features five players with clubs in the United Arab Emirates, two in Belgium, Tarem...