TEHRAN – Iran national basketball team head coach Mehran Shahintab is satisfied after his team were drawn against the world’s powerhouses France and the U.S. in the Olympic Games.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Basketball Tournaments draw for both the Men and the Women finalists was held behind closed doors Tuesday at FIBA headquarters, the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball.

The eight national teams plus four slots reserved for the national teams clinching a spot in the Men’s Tournament through the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments were split into the three preliminary groups of four teams each.

 The four remaining tickets will be punched in through the four Olympic Qualifying groups planned to be held from June 29 to July 4.

“I am happy to be drawn with the U.S. and France. They are among the world’s basketball powers and playing them will be an exciting challenge,” Shahintab said.

Canada, China, Czech Republic, Greece, Turkey and Uruguay will play for another place in Group A in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Victoria, Canada.

“I think Turkey, Canada and Greece have more chance to book their place in the Olympics. We will prepare well for facing the powerful teams in the Olympics,” he added.