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PTV - Iran's "Princes of Persia" will begin the 2011 AFC Asian Cup within 10 days, with Qatari officials ordering new colorful buses for transferring players and coaching staff.

In an innovative move, Qatar on Tuesday unveiled the buses of the 16 national teams participating in the continental championship to be held in Doha, AFC website reported.

The vehicles will transfer the teams to and from their official hotels to matches and training sessions and each has been emblazoned with a slogan or nickname chosen by fans in a competition conducted on the-afc.com.

The Iranian squad will glide to the tournament with its bus, entitled "Princes of Persia."

Iran was formerly known as Persia before it was officially renamed by a royal decree in 1935.

Defending champion Iraq will travel around Qatar in a bus bearing the team's nickname, "The Lions of Mesopotamia" while Australia will be ferried around in a bus proclaiming "We're the Thunder from Down Under."

Iran is in Group D of the AFC Asian Cup, which runs from January 7 to 29, with the United Arab Emirates, North Korea and Iraq.

On Tuesday, Iran was held to a scoreless draw by Qatar in a friendly match ahead of the Asian Cup.
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