Former Iran and Persepolis football team midfielder Mehrdad Minavand passed away aged 45 Wednesday night after a battle with COVID-19. He started his career at Tehran based football club Pas in 1994 but joined Persepolis a year later. The left-winger also played for Austrian club Sturm Graz and Charleroi from Belgium before returning to Persepolis once again in 2002. Minavand was a member of the Iran national football team in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He also won a bronze medal with the Persians in the 1996 AFC Asian Cup. 207/205