Iraq are actually one of the best sides in the Middle East, have been for a long time and would have probably got to more WC's if we'd not been busy "freeing" them from Saddam.
Iran have been in a couple of times I think. They were deffo in world cup 98 and also a recent one. Maybe the 2006 one in Germany.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that one of Saddam's sons had a personal involvement in the team and that he threatened to execute some of them if they were embarrassed.