Hashemian not to join national team

IRIB  - VFL Bochum striker Vahid Hashemian will decline an invitation by Iran's head coach Branco Ivancovic to rejoin the national team, the daily Frankfurter Rundschau said Saturday.

The 27 year-old Hashemian who is due to visit Iran during the Bundesliga winter break next week, indicated that he was not interested in a personal meeting with Ivancovic in Tehran.

The ex-pas player added that he would however phone Ivancovic to inform him of his negative decision.

The Croatian trainer was earlier this month quoted as saying that he would try to convince Hashemian to return to the national team.

"The national team can't afford to ignore such a player," Ivancovic said.

Having scored nine goals for Bochum this season, Hashemian has repeatedly said that he only wants to focus on his professional career in the German football league.

Bochum has surprised football experts this season, as the team is placed sixth in the Bundesliga table with 22 points out of 15 matches.