TEHRAN – Former Iran national football team and Persepolis defender Jafar Kashani died of heart attack at his home Wednesday morning at the age of 76.

Kashani, born in Tehran, started his football career at 1964 in Shahin club after he was scouted by Abbas Ekrami, the founder of the club.

After three years, he joined Persepolis and was a member of the Iranian popular football team for seven years.

Kashani represented Iran national football team from 1968 to 1974 and made 38 appearances for Team Melli.

He won AFC Asian Cup twice with Iran in 1968 and 1972.

Kashani also represented Iran at the 1972 Summer Olympics, where they beat Brazil and lost to Hungary and Denmark and failed to book a place in the next round.

After retiring from football, he was employed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and worked in embassies in Germany, Syria and the UAE.

Kashani was head of Persepolis’s board of director.