Tehran's arch-rivals' latest play ended in a 1-1 draw on Friday, February 13. Mojtaba Jabbari scored the opener for Esteqlal 12 minutes into the second half.
Two minutes into the injury time, however, Alizadeh handled the ball in the 18-yard box, conceding a penalty, which was converted by Maziar Zare'.
As the final whistle blew, fans' speculation ran high about compromises imposed on the 66th Derby of Iran's Premier League.
Esteqlal's coach Amir Qalenoei, who previously had protested any alleged decision-making outside the team, and Persepolis's coach Afshin Peyrovani rejected any non-technical issue regarding the draw.
The head of Iran's Premier League Organization, Aziz Mohammadi, also rejected any covert compromise between the two teams.
"Since both teams belong to the country's Physical Education Organization, their victory delights the Organization; we seek no loss," Mohammadi said to defuse any comments regarding the Organization's interference.