He continued to play well, giving himself a chance to join Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga along with fellow Iranian internationals Mehdi Mahdavikia and Vahid Hashemian.

In June 2006, he signed a two-year contract with United Arab Emirates club Sharjah FC, after rejecting an offer from Spanish second division side CD Tenerife.

In 2007, Khatibi signed a new contract with Emirates Club for $700,000 to join his Iranian teammate Reza Enayati.

His appearances for the national team have been inconsistent, but due to his good form in the 2005–06 season he was called up to the main squad which headed to Germany for World Cup 2006.

[3] After spending one season at Machine Sazi and led them to the third rank and lost the promotion play-off on goal difference, he becomes head coach of another Tabrizi based team, Gostaresh Foolad and led the club to promotion to the Iran Pro League.