TEHRAN - The 16-year-old Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja from Iran surpassed the 2700 Elo rating barrier.

It’s the first time an Iranian chess player crosses 2700 Elo rating barrier.

 Firouzja is the third-rated junior in the world, behind Chinese Wei Yi and American Jeffery Xiong.

He will play Wei Yi in the semifinal of the Junior Speed Chess Championship Semifinal on Sunday.

The match winner will play Jeffery Xiong in the final in early August. The date of the final will be announced shortly.

The American GM had eliminated Parham Maghsoodloo from Iran last week.

The prize fund for the semifinal matches is $2,400 each. The winner earns $1,200 and advances to the final, while the remaining $1,200 is split by win percentages.