TEHRAN, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's international striker Karim Ansarifard says that the Iranian national football team will not be an easy opponent in the upcoming World Cup, the Tehran Times reported on Friday.

"We will do everything in our power to make history in the 2018 World Cup. We want to qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament for the first time," Ansarifard said.

"To progress to the World Cup knockout stage is our dream. We believe in ourselves and [that] we can advance to the next stage," the Olympiakos striker said. "We need to work hard to prepare for the competition. We will not be an easy opponent for Spain and Portugal," Ansarifard added.

Iran has been drawn in Group B of the 2018 World Cup along with Spain, Morocco and Portugal. Iran's national football team will open their campaign with a match against Morocco in St. Petersburg on June 15.