The 1998 Asian Games took place at the end of the calendar year in Thailand. While Iran saw a few veterans absent from the roster, however, the bulk of the team resembled that of the World Cup. In Abedzadeh’s absence, Nakisa and Gholampour would share goalkeeping duties for Iran. Iran’s preparation consisted of just one friendly against Kuwait which surprisingly the Arab hosts won 3-0. In spite of the respectable World Cup campaign, Iran would make a change in coach with former player Pour-Heydari replacing Talebi.
Due to the tournament's new format, Iran would have to compete in a preliminary round against Kazakhstan and Laos. Iran would face Kazakhstan and newcomer Hashemian would score two goals in his national team debut to lead Iran to a 2-0 win.
Iran would destroy Laos 6-1 with goals by Mousavi (2), Mansourian, Yazdani, Daei and an own goal to top the group and advance to the next round.
In the next round Iran was grouped with China, Oman and Tajikistan. Iran would first line up against an Oman team that was coached by former national team manager Vieira. Iran would take the lead through Daei but Oman would quickly equalize. Later a miscommunication between Nakisa and Mohammadkhani would lead to the defender scoring in his own net. Oman would score again in the second half. Hashemian would cut the lead in half but at the final whistle Oman would once again score to emerge as 4-2 winners.
Iran would face Tajikistan in a must-win match. Goals by Daei (2), Bagheri, Khakpour and Mousavi resulted in a 5-0 win and gave Iran hope of advancing from the group.
In the final group game against China, with only 10 minutes gone Gholampour spilled a long range shot for China to score on the rebound. But Iran would bounce back with a goal from Bagheri after a perfect through-ball and precise finishing shot. Daei would win the game with a header from a freekick. Iran would win 2-1 and combined with Oman’s tie against Tajikistan, Iran would advance as the group runner-up behind China.
The games would proceed from that point as single elimination and Iran would face the defending champions Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals.
Iran seemed to have suddenly found their rhythm and took the lead with a first half strike after rounding the keeper by Mousavi. In the final seven minutes of the game Daei put the match out of reach with a hattrick consisting of two shots from the edge of the box and one downward header.
With this win Iran would advance to the semifinals and once again face China.
The lone goal of the match would come from a blunder from the Chinese keeper who couldn’t hold on to a freekick and gifted Mousavi with an easy tap-in and an ultimate 1-0 win for Iran.
Iran would advance to the final and take on Kuwait for the championship.
Iran would take the lead in the 6th minute from a corner kick with Karimi heading it in. Midway through the first half Bagheri’s persistence enabled him to steal the ball from a Kuwaiti defender, round the keeper and score into the open net to double Iran’s lead. Iran would hold onto this score and emerge as 2-0 winners and win the Asian Games for the third time after 1974 and 1990.
This would be the last version of the Asian Games in which national teams were utilized and in the next edition countries would field their U23 teams. With eight goals, Daei would be Iran’s top scorer and the tournament’s joint second best scorer.
Iran roster: Gholampour, Nakisa, Babaei, Zarrincheh, Khakpour, Mohammadkhani, Janmaleki, Navazi, Mahdavikia, Mansourian, Hamedani, Yazdani, Estili, Karimi, Fekri, Bagheri, Daei, Mousavi, Khatibi, Hashemian. Coach: Pour-Heydari
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