Nabi was last month appointed as the acting secretary general of the FFIRI, replacing Ebrahim Shakouri in the role.

According to the Tehran Times, the Asian Football Confederation wrote to the national body to say they would refuse to recognise his appointment due to an alleged statute breach.

“The agenda must be sent out to all members of the Executive Committee at least seven days before the meeting,” the AFC wrote.

“AFC has been informed by credible sources that the members of the Executive Committee were not sent the invitation, agenda and other supporting documents before the so-called Executive Committee meeting.”

Shakouri confirmed he had not been in the meeting.

The FFIRI appointed Nabi as secretary general on Monday (April 6), with the organisation stating that Executive Committee members were in attendance to confirm the decision.

Nabi has claimed the federation has abided by its statutes and that incorrect information had been given to the AFC.

"The Iranian Football Federation has always had close interaction and communication with the Asian Football Confederation, and the exchange of letters or emails about formalities and administrative mechanisms are quite normal in this regard,” Nabi said.

“Unfortunately, there have been misconduct inside the country that do not take into account the interests and position of the country's football with specific purposes.

"With a history of about five years as secretary general of the federation, as well as the communications and chairs I have had in the AFC,  I have witnessed many different legal disagreements and interpretations on various issues, but it is unfortunate that in such a case I see the most detailed correspondence.

“This is a bitter incident that has caused the Iranian Football Federation to face unusual and incorrect margins and behaviours in international negotiations and correspondence.

"The presence and activity of every Iranian in the various departments and committees of the AFC is a source of pride, and we have a very good relationship with the various committees of the Confederation, including the department of AFC member federations.

“In this regard, the federation has acted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the statute.”

Nabi is the former general manager of Iranian football club Gostaresh Pars Khodro.

He was also a vice-president of Persepolis and a member of the Board of Directors during his tenure there.

Heydar Baharvand, the acting President of the FFIRI, thanked Shakouri for his work since taking the role in December 2018.

It is not Nabi's first venture into the FFIRI, having previously been the secretary general, executive advisor to the President of the FFIRI, deputy secretary general and head of the Competition Committee.

The FFIRI will hold an elective General Assembly in September.

The General Assembly was due to take place on March 15 but it was deferred after FIFA ordered the FFIRI to postpone the event until the national governing body amended its statutes.

World football’s governing body had already sent a letter to the FFIRI on February 24, stressing that the General Assembly should be delayed.

FIFA had implied that the previous version of the statutes contained several particularly problematic provisions, such as Government interference in the FFIRI elections.