TEHRAN – Iran suffered a 36-26 loss against Qatar in Group II of the 2022 Asian Handball Championship.

Iran will meet Group I first-place team Qatar in semifinals round on Saturday.

Iran have previously qualified for the 2023 World Handball Championship for the first time since 2015 in Qatar.

The top five teams from the Championship directly qualify for the 2023 World Men's Handball Championship, to be held jointly by Poland and Sweden.

Saudi Arabia was awarded the tournament after the Championship was moved in September by the Asian Handball Federation due to the spread of COVID-19 in the initial host country, Iran.