On September 20, 2013, Iranian Football Federation appointed Afazeli as technical director of Iran national under-23 football team, to supervise the team progress and plans for upcoming Asian Championship in Oman which is the first ever championship of the age category in Asia. He later became the manager of the team after the resignation of Ali Reza Mansourian. The team was denied with clubs releasing 18 players and Afazeli took the second team to the tournament on January 2014 in Oman without any preparation camp and friendlies with 19 players in hand. They drew Japan 3-3 in the first match, lost 1-0 against Australia in an entertaining game and beat Kuwait 3 to 1 in the last game, fail to qualify for knock out stage only by goal difference.