That date has been identified for a long-awaited election, the Tehran Times reports.

Voting has been delayed multiple times because FIFA demanded changes be made to the FFIRI's statutes, alleging Government interference.

FIFA first told the FFIRI that changes needed to be made in 2019, and in May of 2020 it rejected a set of FFIRI documents it judged did not resolve the issues.

However, in November, FFIRI Acting President Heydar Baharvand claimed that the dispute with FIFA had been "solved" after removing Iranian Sports Minister Masoud Soltanifar as an assembly member.

The FFIRI's General Assembly approved new statutes that month, and the last day of February has now been identified as the date for FFIRI elections after they could not be held as part of the General Assembly.

Football's world body had previously threatened Iran with suspension if its statutes were not brought in line with FIFA requirements.

It also warned Iran in September over judicial interference, after ex-national team coach Marc Wilmots filed a complaint with FIFA after quitting the position, claiming the FFIRI had committed "serious contractual violations".

FIFA ordered the FFIRI to pay Wilmots €6.2 million (£5.5 million/$7.3 million) as compensation for breach of contract, and following the announcement, the State Inspectorate Organisation of Iran reportedly referred eight members of the FFIRI Board of Directors - including former President Mehdi Taj - to the Tehran Prosecutor's Office.

This move prompted FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to write a letter to the FFIRI to warn about interference.

Iran has also faced criticism over its policy of banning women from entering stadiums, and is is one of five nations bidding for the 2027 AFC Cup, alongside Qatar, India, Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia.

Taj resigned as President in December 2019.