TEHRAN, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran coach Carlos Queiroz praised his team's progress over the past four years, Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday.

Iran is better equipped to make it past the group stage of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 in June than four years ago in Brazil, Queiroz was quoted as saying.

“We have more solutions, we are better prepared, and we have more experience, especially now that we have more players in Europe, he said, adding that "The competition in (the) FIFA (World Cup) is very intense and difficult but we want to do better.”

"As coaches, we always want more and we want to make to the second stage in Russia, that is the target,” said the former Portugal and Real Madrid coach.

“In order to make it, it is important to put in place good preparations, especially for our local-based players,” added Queiroz, whose side will face Turkey, Greece and Lithuania in the final stages of preparations in May 2018.

On Friday, the Iranian national soccer team was beaten 1-0 by Tunisia in a friendly match in Rades,

Queiroz's team will play Algeria in another friendly on March 27 in Austria ahead of the World Cup.