TEHRAN, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Iran's international soccer defender Saeid Ezatolahi has been ruled out of the upcoming AFC Asian Cup tournament with a foot injury, Tehran Times daily reported on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old player suffered the injury on international duty in October.
Ezatolahi expressed his disappointment at missing the competition.
"I feel really bad because of missing the AFC Asian Cup.... In the 2018 World Cup, I did my best to make the Iranian people happy but I've ruled out the Asian Cup and I cannot be a part of Team Melli (national team)," Ezatolahi said.
Ezatolahi, who currently plays in English championship side Reading, was a member of the Iranian national team in the 2018 FIFA World Cup against Spain and Portugal.
Iran have been drawn in Group D of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup alongside Vietnam, Iraq and Yemen.
They will start their journey with a match against Yemen on January 7 before facing Vietnam on January 12 and Iraq on January 16.
