Paatoop.com - In an interview with a Belgian news agency, Team Melli’s captain shared some of his deepest thoughts.

You started in an Armenian club in Iran. Are there a lot of Armenian clubs in Iran?

Yes. There are a few Armenian clubs in Iran. And the most popular and loved one is FC Ararat; the club that I started from. Armenian clubs can compete in the same competitions as other Iranian clubs. For example, Ararat competed in Division 1 (Azadegan) about ten years ago.

Is it important for there to be a representation of your ethnic minority in Team Melli?

It is obvious for me to say yes. Armenians are happy to see me in a Team Melli jersey. Especially since I am the only Armenian in Team Melli in the last ten or so years. I feel Armenian, but I don’t see a big difference between different Iranian ethnicities. What’s important to me is to represent my country as much as possible. Our numbers (Armenians) are decreasing in Iran, but we will always be numerous in Iran. We live peaceful lives without any problems. Even a footballer lives in these conditions. There are a lot of efforts made for us to live well and feel good. You should know that it was a pleasure for me to play for an Armenian club. Certainly, life is easy for my family and friends. We can pray in our churches. We have no problems. I can even cross myself (Sign of the Cross) when I score.

How did you feel when Carlos Queiroz named you Iran’s captain?

I was very happy. It was kind of surprising for me and other Armenians. I have been playing for my country since 2005, and in 2006 I experienced my first World Cup. After that I competed in Asian Cup 2007. And I represented Iran in World Cup 2014. So you can say that I am experienced and it wasn’t that astonishing for me to be named captain.

You are Team Melli’s first Christian captain. Do you think if Iran’s coach was an Iranian, that you would have been given this honour?

Being the captain of Team Melli has nothing to do with religion. When Javad Nekounam retired from international football, I wore the armband. This wasn’t that surprising because after Javad, I had seniority. This has nothing to do with religion or politics. You know that there are people who are suspicious of Iran, but in our country there is no divide between religions.

What kind of a relationship do you have with Carlos Queiroz?

I have a lot of respect for him. He is very intelligent. He has a great reputation. Us players work hard and cooperate with him, and he chooses the team based on phyical readiness. He has many exercise facilities available to him, and he is always with the players. I believe his best quality is his personality, and with this quality he was able to successfully be an assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson. We currently have a young team, and he wants the team to gain enough experience. He always tells us about his experience in Manchester United. You can say that he is very close to his players. What is interesting for me is that he gives young players a fair and equal opportunity to play in Team Melli. He is the best coach that Iran has ever had. However, he was not totally foreign to me, as I seen him on Manchester United’s bench, when I played for Bolton and Fulham.

Do you share your culture with him?

Yes. We eat Iranian food with him. He loves Iranian food; As he should, because Iranian cuisine is one of the best in the world. Have you ever had Tahchin?

Do you mean the dish with rice, garlic, and eggs?

You see. You should try all of our cuisine so you can enjoy life.

Before you left for the World Cup, you kissed the Quran…

That was one of the most satisfying moments in my whole career. It was an amazing experience. You must know that I respect all holy books; the great Quran, and our Holy Bible have come from God. This is not just my feeling, but also that of other Armenians of our country.

What is your take on Iran’s World Cup 2014 campaign?

Honestly, we had our moments in each match, especially against Nigeria and Argentina. People thought that these games would be disasters, but that wasn’t the case. We played three hard games there.

Was it special playing against Mess, Aguero, and Dzeko?

Normally, we don’t play against such opponents. Since I played in the English Premier League, I was kind of familiar. But our young players had previously only seen these stars on TV. I never asked them to exchange jerseys.

Are you optimistic about Team Melli’s future?

We currently have very good young players. I hope they progress and make their way to big foreign (European) clubs. For example, Ehsan Hajsafi currently plays for FSV Frankfurt in Germany (2 Bundesliga), and hopefully he gets picked up by a top division club.