Iranian Soccer Legend’s Family Targeted After His Vocal Support of Protests

Ali Daei, an Iranian soccer legend, has been targeted by his family for his vocal support of protestors.

According to the New York Times, Daei has been ”speaking up for months,” and “telling Iran’s government to respond” To their demands.

The Iranian government started to punish Daei for speaking out, closing multiple businesses that he owned.

This is a far cry from what they did in recent times.

The Times reported that government forced A plane was allowed to land during flight so that his wife could be with him. They were both trying to leave the country but the government intervened and stopped them.

Daei’s daughter was questioned and released, but wasn’t allowed to re-board the plane.

This is the latest escalation in the government’s crackdown on protestors. For their peaceful protest of the national anthem at the World Cup, the Iranian soccer team was also threatened.

READ: IRAN’S WORLD CUP TEAM STAYS SILENT DURING NATIONAL ANTHEM BACKING PROTESTERS AT HOME

The Iranian Government Continues To Punish Dissent

Iran’s government is well aware of the power of celebrity, and it has allowed influential figures to speak out.

As such, they’re specifically targeting them and their families to ensure silence.

Fox News quoted a Middle East expert to explain how they deal with these situations.

“The regime has a fixation on celebrities and their families,” Fox News Digital spoke with Lisa Daftari who is a Middle East expert, and the editor-in-chief for the Foreign Desk. “They are targeting them in the most severe ways in order to make an example of them.”

Their interests are more important than any concern about losing support from the public for their pursuit of popular figures.

Protests are continuing to mount, so who knows what the Iranian government will do to get ahead?