Tehran Times - 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.