Last season, the Football Federation of Iran Disciplinary Committee made penalties for some clubs and their violent fans but that behavior was repeated again and again at pitches everywhere in Iran.

So many supports were left covered in blood after the matches but the Iranian sports officials are determined to stop violence in the stadiums in the new season.

“Sport is a factor of making tens of millions of people happy and we will not allow some opportunists to cause disruption to the fans’ happiness. We are going to hold the football competition with the lowest possible amount of tension and improve the security and comfort of the fans,” Soltanifar said.

“The matches Should not be marred by misbehavior of some fans who violate the rules. Fortunately, the clubs have helpful cultural plans for the new season,” he added.

“Police will not allow the invaders to enter the stadiums and the football federation has new disciplinary rules for the new season. All of us are responsible to keep sportsmanship in our sport,” Soltanifar went on to say.

“The league competition should be equipped with electronic ticketing and seat numbering systems in the new season. We have zero tolerance policy in relation to any threats against the competition,” Soltanifar concluded.

TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Masoud Soltanifar has called for seven national football team players to get an exemption from their military services.

Seven Iranian players namely, Sardar Azmoun, Saeid Ezatolahi, Alireza Beiranvand, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Majid Hosseini, Ali Gholizadeh and Mehdi Torabi have not served military service and must complete up to two years of Iran military.

Spokesman for the Conscription department of Iranian Armed Forces Mousa Kamali said the sportsmen who win medals in the Olympic Games, gold medal winners at the Asian Games and the finalists of the World Championships will be handed exemptions from military service, and theses footballers are not included.

Iran national football team are preparing to participate at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup and the military service could make problem for some players in Team Melli.

TEHRAN – Iranian Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Masoud Soltanifar says that they want to move one place up in the 2018 Asian Games.

The Iranian delegation came fifth in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea behind China, South Korea, Japan and Kazakhstan.

Now, the Iranian minister says they are going to improve their previous ranking in the upcoming Asian games.

“We have a busy year ahead of us. First, we will take part in the 2018 World Cup and we want to book a place in the knockout stage for the first time.

“We know it will be a difficult task but we will do our best to provide facilities for Team Melli to qualify for the second round,” Soltanifar said in an interview with msy.gov.ir.

Iran will participate at the 2018 Asian Games as the strongest West Asian country. Soltanifar says they want a better place in the 18th edition.

“We will vie with Indonesia, Thailand and Kazakhstan to finish in the fourth place in the competition,” the minister added.