Afshin Ghotbi had to do without the Osasuna-duo Javad Nekounam and Masoud Shojaei and the injured Iman Mobali, Khosro Heydari and Amir Mohebi. Iceland came to Iran's capital without some key players, but yet fielded a strong squad with several foreign based players.
In an almost empty Azadi stadium, the hosts were the clearly better and more creative side from the beginning and had several opportunities to break the deadlock.
Khalatbari did well to break through Iceland's left defensive side and set up returnee Farhad Majidi inside the area seven minutes into the game, but the veteran failed to convert.
The 32-year-old Esteghlal Tehran striker was the most eye-catching offensive player in the opening minutes of the game, but was let down by his finishing again just short time later, when he got to a Pejman Nouri cross but failed to trouble goalkeeper with his weak shot.
In minute 16 Arash Borhani could have broken the deadlock, but he slided past his clubmate Hashem Beikzadeh's delivery across goalmouth.
The visitors only occassionally posed a threat to Mehdi Rahmati's goal, mostly only after Iranian defensive errors. Unsurprisingly their only real scoring chance in first half came after a big blunder by today's captain Mohammad Nosrati, but fortunately for Iran the shot from promising position went wide (22').
Four minutes before the end of first half, Majidi had to leave the field injured. In came debutant Karim Ansarifard from Saipa Karaj, who replaced Majidi as supporting striker, but with the addition of playmaker Mohammad Nouri at halftime, overtook Borhani's role as sole striker in the 4-2-3-1.
Iran started into the second half excellently and were close to taking the lead, when Hadi Aghili's acrobatic shot after a Mehrzad Madanchi freekick was saved (49').
A minute later Iran showed a great combination over the left side, but the totally unmarked Ansarifard somehow managed to head the ball wide from close range.
The youngster did better in minute 54, when Rahmati initiated a counter attack with a quick throw, Madanchi used his amazing speed on the left to get rid of his marker and provided a perfect cross, which was tapped in by Ansarifard to make it 1-0.
Two minutes later a great shot from Pejman Nouri from far out was saved by Gunnleifsson. A similar scene occured on the other side, four minutes after the hourmark, but Mehdi Rahmati was on alert as well.
Iran should have doubled the lead in minute 67, when a great Hajsafi cross found the unmarked Mohammad-Reza Khalatbari at the far post, but his volley flew over the target.
Khalatbari again was in center of aatention five minutes later, when he nicely fooled his marker inside the area, however, hammered the ball nto the sidenetting from tight angle.
Nine minutes from time, Amir-Hossein Feshangchi replaced Madanchi to make his debut, three minutes before Iceland came close to equalize, but Mohammad Nouri was able to clear the ball off the line for the beaten Rahmati, after a corner kick.
Andranik Teymourian was responsible for the final highlight of the game, when he smacked the ball against the woodwork from half-right position, in the very last minute of regular time.
It was a well deserved win for Iran, who showed the strongest friendly match performance since Afshin Ghotbi took over.
Team Melli will next face Jordan in Asian Cup quailification on Saturday, before hosting Macedonia in a friendly match on Wednesday and again taking on Jordan in a qualifier, four days later.
Iran - Iceland 1-0 (0-0)
Friendly Match, Tehran, Azadi Stadium
Goal: 1-0 Ansarifard (54' / Assist by Madanchi)
Iran: Rahmati - Beikzadeh (67' Kaebi), Aghili Nosrati, Hajsafi - Teymourian, P.Nouri - Khalatbari, Majidi (41' Ansarifard), Madanchi (81' Feshangchi) - Borhani (46' M. Nouri)
Booking: Teymourian