Daei has said in recent months that he has been threatened after publicly supporting anti-government protests in Iran. On September 27, Daei took to social media to call on the government to “solve the problems of the Iranian people instead of using repression, violence and arrests”.
“Collaboration with anti-revolutionary groups”
In October, Daei told AFP that his passport was confiscated by the police upon his return from abroad, before he was able to retrieve it a few days later. He later said that he did not travel to the World Cup in Qatar because of the Iranian authorities’ crackdown on the protests.
In early December, the Daei jewelry store and restaurant in an upscale neighborhood in northern Tehran were closed by state order. Local media reported that the closure was ordered for “collaborating with anti-revolutionary groups in cyberspace”.
months of protests
Iran has been rocked by violent protests for months. They were triggered by the death of young Kurd Mahsa Amini on 16 September. The 22-year-old died after being arrested by the police station because of an improperly used headscarf.
According to Iranian sources, more than 200 people were killed in the protests. International human rights organizations claim more than 450 deaths. Thousands of people were arrested.