Former Iran national football team and Persepolis defender Ebrahim Ashtiani passed away at the age of 71 in Tehran’s Shahid Rajaei Hospital on Tuesday.

He died as a result of a preexisting heart disease.

Ashtiani began his playing career with Boostan and Poolad (under-19 and under-23 teams of Shahin) in and was promoted to the first team in 1964 by Abbas Ekrami.

After Shahin was dissolved, Ashtiani and many other players of the team joined another Tehran based club Persepolis. He played with the team in Asian Club Championship in his first season.

Ashtiani caught the eye of Hamburg SV in 1970 after a friendly match and the German club offered him a contract to join to the team, which Ashtiani rejected that to play for Persepolis until his retirement.

He also had bids from Manchester City and Al-Arabi.

Ashtiani provided an assist for Hossein Kalani in a historic 6–0 derby win against Esteghlal in September 1973.

He won the Asian Cup in Thailand in 1972 as well as the football tournament of the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran with Iran national football team.

Ashtiani made 35 appearances for the Iran national football team from 1969 to 1974 and was part of the team competing in the Olympics in Munich 1972.

Ashtiani hung up his boots in the summer of 1976 at the age of 30.

The ex-Iran and Persepolis defender will be laid to rest in Tehran's Behesht Zahra Cemetery on Wednesday.

Tehran Times staff wish to express deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and Persepolis club.