On 23 August, he scored the winning goal for a 2–1 win against Lokomotiv Moscow. On 2 November 2008, Iliev scored another vital goal, this time a last-minute equaliser, in a 1–1 home draw against FC Moscow. Iliev left Terek in February 2010, cancelling his contract by mutual agreement two months before it expired. On 11 February 2010, Iliev signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Romanian club Universitatea Craiova as a free agent. In February 2011, Iliev signed a contract for one and a half years with Steaua Bucureşti. On 19 December 2011, Iliev scored his first goal for Steaua against CSU Vointa Sibiu in a Liga 1 match, goal which proved to be decisive. On 12 July 2012, Iliev joined Ukrainian club Volyn Lutsk on a two-year deal. On 16 July 2013, Iliev re-signed with CSKA Sofia and was announced as CSKA's new club captain. He made his second CSKA debut in a 0–0 home draw against Cherno More on 3 August. Iliev scored his first goal since his return to the club on 24 August, scoring an equaliser, away to Lokomotiv Sofia in a 1–1 draw. On 16 April 2014, he signed a one-year contract extension, keeping him at CSKA until 30 June 2015. He ended 2013–14 season with 4 goals in 28 matches. In October 2014, Iliev underwent an ankle surgery on his right foot. Following surgery, he was ruled out for about three months. He returned to first team action in April 2015. On 29 September 2015, Iliev signed a one-year contract with Romanian club Universitatea Craiova as a free agent. In October 2010, after a long absence from the national team, Iliev was recalled to the national side by the new manager Lothar Matthäus for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales. On 8 October 2010, he started the match, but sustained an injury during the first half and was replaced by Pavel Vidanov. Iliev joined CSKA 1948 in 2016 and oversaw successive promotions, from the fourth tier to the Second League. He was sacked after four matches of the 2018–19 season. Iliev is a sexton at a church in Bistritsa.