Esteqlal had to win its two remaining matches to keep alive its already faint hope of sweeping into the next round. However, the 1-1 home draw left Esteqlal at the bottom of Group C without a single victory out of its five matches.
Qalenoi resigned from his post after the match due to differences with the club's Chief Executive Amir Vaez-Ashtyani. His resignation comes a week after he won Iran's Premier League title with Esteqlal.
Hicham Aboucherouane scored the opener for Al-Ittihad after 80 minutes, eight minutes before Ali Alizadeh gave a brief relief to Esteqlal before 25,000 fans at Tehran's Azadi Stadium.
The victory sent Al-Ittihad to the top of the group with 9 points, 2 points ahead of Qatar's Umm-Salal, which will face UAE's Al Jazira later on Tuesday.
Tuesday matches
Group C
Esteghlal (IRI) 1, Al Ittihad (KSA) 1
Umm-Salal (QAT) vs. Al Jazira (UAE)
Group D
Al Shabab Al Arabi (UAE) vs. Sepahan (IRI)
Ettifaq (KSA) vs. Bunyodkor (UZB)
Group F
FC Seoul (KOR) 5, Sriwijaya (INA) 1
Group G
Kashima Antlers (JPN) 3, Suwon Bluewings (KOR) 0
Singapore Armed Forces FC (SIN) 1, Shanghai Shenhua 1
Group H
Tianjin Teda (CHN) 3, Kawasaki Frontale (JPN) 1
Pohang Steelers (KOR) 3, Central Coast Mariners (AUS) 2