The Cosafa nation had proposed to engage them on their way back home after their Afcon qualifier against the Atlas Lions



South Africa Football Association Chief Executive Officer Tebogo Motlanthe has confirmed Iran have cancelled plans to play Bafana Bafana in a friendly match in the Fifa international break of June.

Safa had proposed to face the Middle East nation – in Doha, Qatar - after their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Morocco on Thursday in Rabat.

"We had done all the paperwork with Iran where we were even asked to send the players’ passports. But later they came back to say they were unable to play us," Motlanthe said, as per Sowetan Live.
"They said that through agents. And of course, because of their late cancellation we, unfortunately, do not have any friendly for this window period."

The cancellation of the friendly means the 1996 Afcon champions will only play one game in June.

They were initially scheduled to face Morocco and Zimbabwe in this month's Afcon qualifiers, but the latter were barred by Caf from participation since they are under Fifa suspension. The other member of Group K are Liberia, who South Africa will face in September.
Motlanthe, who is in Morocco with the national team, added the federation will wait for head coach Hugo Broos to give his plan for the next international break.

"But the coach has promised to submit his September programme, which will include friendlies," he concluded.

"The focus now is on this game [against Morocco] and after that, when we are back in South Africa, he will provide a plan for September, which as an association we have to ensure is readily available."