TEHRAN - The 24th season of the Iran Persian Gulf Pro League (PGPL) has kicked off amid a new controversy: the inconsistent and often questionable use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. Despite the introduction of VAR in five out of the first 16 matches, officiating controversies have persisted, casting a shadow over the league.

While the Football Federation of Iran has prioritized the use of VAR in high-profile matches involving Tehran rivals Esteghlal and Persepolis, as well as one other fixture, Aluminum against Nassaji, the technology has failed to live up to the expectations. Many teams have complained about the uneven application of VAR, arguing that it creates an unfair advantage for those matches where it is used.

Even the teams who had VAR in their games are complaining. The Persepolis fans, for instance, have voiced their discontent over a denied penalty in their match against Zob Ahan and the red card shown to Soroush Rafiei in their second game against Tractor. Even Esteghlal, despite benefiting from several VAR decisions, including two penalties in their 2-2 draw against Malavan, has expressed concerns and issued statements about the officiating problems.

These controversies are compounded by the significant shortcomings of the VAR system currently employed in the Iranian league.

It seems that the VAR system used in these matches merely rebroadcasts footage from existing television cameras, without any additional cameras. These cameras, unlike FIFA-recommended super-slow-motion cameras, lack the capability to provide high-quality slow-motion replays and are not equipped with offside-line technology.

It is clear that, thus far, VAR has done little to reduce controversies in Iranian football. The system's shortcomings, coupled with a lack of adequate resources on the part of the Iran Football Federation, have contributed to widespread dissatisfaction. As the season progresses, it remains to be seen whether the Iranian federation can address these issues and ensure a more fair and transparent implementation of VAR or not.