Iran’s Health Ministry on Tuesday reported 5,039 new cases of the novel coronavirus in the previous 24 hours – 322 of which were fatal.

The 20th edition of the Iranian pro league was to kick off on October 31, instead of November.

“Given the coronavirus crisis, the Sports Medicine Federation is to decide on sporting events and activities in the country, so we ordered the Football Federation to suspend the league,” Masjedi said on Tuesday.

“Two athletics and horse racing competitions have already been called off,” added the Iranian official, though he said no new decisions have been made on other sports.

The first matchday of the new season will see Persepolis, eyeing a record-extending fifth consecutive league title, start its campaign at Saipa, with archrival Esteghlal, having Mahmoud Fekri as the new manager, taking on newly-promoted Mes Rafsanjan.

Amir Qalenoei will have a reunion with former club Sepahan when his new team Golgohar Sirjan hosts the Isfahan-based side.

Alireza Mansourian, meanwhile, will make his debut on Tractor’s bench with a home fixture against Naft Masjed Soleyman, while Javad Nekounam’s Foolad Khuzestan, which stole the headlines with a third-spot finish last season, will have a trip to Isfahan to face Zob Ahan.

The League Organization of the federation said it will announce the new dates and kickoff times of the rescheduled opening matchday in the coming days.

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The last round of the games was played on February 28, before the Iranian league was suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

As of resuming Persian Gulf Pro League, Foolad Khuzestan will host Esteghlal in Foolad Arena on June 18 – in a matchday 17 postponed match – before all teams are back in action on June 22.

Heydar Baharvand, the acting president of the federation, in a letter to all 16 league teams gave them the go-ahead to resume training on May 23, calling for full implementation of the hygiene protocols laid out by the National Headquarters for Managing and Fighting Coronavirus.

All teams’ players, technical staff, and officials will have to undergo COVID-19 test and hand the results to the coronavirus taskforce and FIFA’s Medical Centre of Excellence, or IFMARC, in Iran, to secure permission to take part in the reaming 73 fixtures of the league.

Persepolis, holding a 10-point lead over second-placed Sepahan and Tractor – with nine rounds of games remaining – will be seeking a record fourth consecutive league title.

The Azadegan League – the Iranian first division league – will also resume on June 18 with the second division fixtures restarting on June 25.

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