Iranian soccer legend Ali Daei, who backed protests after the death of Mahsa Amini, accused Tehran on Monday of diverting a flight carrying his wife and daughter to Dubai.
Iranian justice sealed Ali Daei’s jewelry store and restaurant in early December for joining protesters’ calls for a strike after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian of Kurdish origin who died while in custody. on sight on September 16, three days after he was arrested by the morality police who accused him of violating the strict dress code for women.
His passport confiscated
State media confirmed that Ali Daei’s family had been banned from leaving the country because of their “association” with anti-government groups. The ex-footballer’s wife and daughter boarded a Mahan Air flight to Tehran but were forced off the plane after landing on Iran’s Gulf island of Kish, the official said. 53-year-old sportsman quoted by the ISNA agency. “They weren’t arrested,” he added. No one has given me an answer about this incident. I really don’t know what the reason for this decision is. My wife and daughter were going to Dubai for a few days. »
Daei’s wife had undertaken to inform the authorities if she wanted to leave the country “because of her relations with groups hostile to the Islamic revolution and the rioters”, says the IRNA agency citing justice. The former striker said in October that his passport was confiscated by police when he returned from abroad, only to be returned to him a few days later. He also says he is the target of threats since he supported the protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini.
On September 27, Daei had called on social media for the government to “solve the problems of the Iranian people rather than resorting to repression”. The Iranian legend played in the Bundesliga, most notably at Bayern Munich, and his 109 goals at international level have only been surpassed by Cristiano Ronaldo. He did not attend the World Cup in Qatar due to the crackdown on protests.