Ghelichkhani earned 66 caps and scored 14 goals for the Iran national football team between 1964 and 1977. He captained the team during the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics and led to three consecutive AFC Asian Cup titles in 1968, 1972, and 1976. His most memorable international performance was in a 1974 World Cup qualifier against Australia, where he scored twice in a 2–0 victory. He retired from international football in 1977 after a friendly match against Hungary.
