TEHRAN, April 14: Iran will play friendly matches against Croatia and Bosnia next month before heading to their World Cup base in the southern German city of Friedrichshafen.

Iran's Croatian coach Branko Ivankovich, said the Islamic republic's team would clash with his fellow countrymen in Zagreb on May 28 followed by a match against Bosnia at home in Tehran on May 31.

“By then we will have played enough warm-up matches and will be ready for the World Cup,” Ivankovich told Iranian state television.

Arranging World Cup warm-ups has been a problem for Iran, particularly on home soil, with many international sides apparently reluctant to travel to Iran amid mounting tensions over the country's disputed nuclear programme.

Iran begin their World Cup campaign against Mexico in Nuremberg on June 11 with further Group D games against Portugal and Angola.—AFP