Head-to-Head
• These sides have met once before at the World Championship. In 1970, Serbia (then: Yugoslavia) defeated Iran 3-2.
• Serbia have won all of their last 10 world championship matches against sides representing the Asian and Oceanian federation AVC. They last lost a match against an AVC side in this competition in 1970, when they fell to DPR Korea in straight sets.
• Their most recent meetings in a major competition came in the 2013 World League. Each team beat the other once in five sets.
Serbia
• Serbia have been eliminated from third round contention. The highest they can finish in Pool E is fourth.
• Serbia had finished in the top four in each of the previous four world championships.
• Their back-to-back defeats in their last two matches follow a string of five victories.
Iran
• Iran can qualify for the third round by overtaking United States or Poland (or both).
• Iran are already guaranteed a massive improvement on their previous best finish, which is 19th.
• Coming off a defeat against hosts Poland, a result that ended a streak of four victories.