Reuters - Iran, missing four players and two staff because of visa issues, brushed aside the challenge of US territory Guam 6-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday in which both sides were reduced to 10 men.

Mehdi Taremi scored a brace and Kamaleddin Kamyabinia, Ramin Rezaeian, Masoud Shojaei and Karim Ansari Fard all scored on the artificial grass at the National Football Stadium in the tiny Pacific Ocean island.

The win lifted unbeaten Iran to 14 points, three clear at the top of the Group D standings, with their remaining two fixtures at home to India and Oman in March.

Oman, also undefeated, can draw level with Iran, Asia's highest-ranked team at 43rd in the world rankings, if they beat Turkmenistan away later today.

Only the eight group winners and four best runners-up will progress to the third round of Asian World Cup qualifying and also book a spot at the 2019 Asian Cup.

Their previous fixture in Teheran, which Iran won 6-0 in September, was also marked by visa issues for the visiting team, who were eventually granted full entry a day before the match.

But this time, Iran had no such luck with four players and two staff unable to accompany the team.

Iran skipper Andranik Teymourian missed his side's 3-1 win over Turkmenistan on Friday to fly to Doha and get a US visa to travel to Guam, Iranian media reported.