The home side nearly capitalised on a defensive error from UAE in the fifth minute when Mehdi Ghayedi clipped a pass towards Sardar Azmoun, who chested the ball perfectly for Mohammad Mohebbi but Khalid Eisa stood tall to deny the FC Rostov forward from point-blank range.

A floodlight failure brought the match to a temporary halt in the 10th minute with the match only resuming in the 40th minute with Caio Lucas flashing a shot just wide in the 45th minute as 29 minutes were added by the referee at the end of the first half.

Iran threatened again after Saman Ghoddos fed Roozbeh Cheshmi on the edge of the box but the 31-year-old’s effort in the fourth minute of added time was comfortably collected by Eisa.

A quick break in the 20th minute of added time saw Alireza Beiranvand pulling off a big stop to prevent Mackenzie Hunt from putting UAE ahead after the midfielder was put through by Yahya Al Ghassani.

The deadlock was broken in the 27th minute of added time, Ghoddos with a delicate chip pass for Azmoun to nod home from close range.

Mohebbi thought he had doubled Iran's advantage a minute into the second half when he finished expertly from a long pass out from defence but it was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.

Despite a period of sustained UAE pressure that came after that, it was Iran who went close again in the 66th following a surging run and shot from left-back Milad Mohammadi that Eisa had to be alert to push out.

The win was eventually sealed for Iran three minutes later after Mohebbi showed a good turn of  pace to speed past Kouame Kouadio before firing a shot past Eisa.