Hossein Ziari, a veteran Iranian Premier League football referee and Director General of the Office of Planning, Budget, and Administrative Transformation at the Semnan Governor’s Office, has been sentenced to five years in prison following his arrest by security forces. He is currently being held at Semnan Central Prison.

According to IranWire, intelligence forces arrested Ziari at his home on May 3, 2026. His family was left without information about his whereabouts for a period following his arrest.

Ziari reportedly faces charges including “links with opposition groups” and “spreading false information,” as well as an additional charge related to national security. However, the precise nature of the national security charge, the court branch that issued the sentence, and whether the five-year prison term is final or subject to appeal remain unclear.

Ziari is a longtime referee in Iranian football and also served as both a match referee and a VAR official in Iranian Premier League matches last season.

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