and I am not sure if there is a similar airplane.
I offer that all 172's are similar (they're all designated within the same approved design). Yes, the very earliest ones (which you won't find for rent) are more simple, lighter, a Continental engine (as opposed to Lycoming), and have manual flaps. And, the R172K and other most recent 172's, are fuel injected, and a little more powerful (and heavier), but they all fly similarly, such that if you can fly any 172, flying any other should require nothing more than a review of POH (which you should be doing anyway) and a few circuits (which the renter will insist on anyway). Instead of trying to fly the same airplane, you should be trying to fly different airplanes, broadening out their characteristics as you grow your pilot skills. Think in terms of being a pilot who can fly
an airplane, rather than a pilot who can fly
that airplane.
fly c172sp close to Middle East
Is very non specific, but that's up to you. I have no idea of the availability of rental airplanes in that part of the world, and I note that there have not been any responses with suggestions. Hopefully those companies who provide rental airplanes make themselves "findable". Sure, if someone here has a suggestion, great, but it's not my locale, and I don't see other suggestions for you. I have no idea myself for that region, but I presume that some consideration has to be given to international acceptance of the license you may already have, so best understand that too.