The Blues downed Shahin 3-2 thanks to a hat-trick by Mojtaba Jabbari at Tehran's Azadi Stadium on Thursday, Mehr news agency reported.
Both teams showed a great football in the first half but Esteqlal scored the opener in the dying minutes of the first half from the 18-yard box.
Esteqlal's captain Farhad Majidi was downed inside the box to earn the Blues a penalty kick in the 54th minute of the match. Jabbari stood up and converted the penalty kick into his second goal of the match.
Shahin pulled one back four minutes after the hour mark when Masoud Nazarzadeh fired home a left-foot volley from outside the box.
Shahin grabbed the equalizer with only two minutes on the clock through Lek Kcira.
Jabbari completed his hat-trick only moments before the final whistle to seal the victory for the Blues.
In the other match of the day, Teraktorsazi and Rah Ahan played out to a 1-1 draw in Tabriz.
Esteqlal is now on top of the table with 30 points, followed by Naft Tehran and Saba both with 27 points.