The location of former Iranian national team goalkeeper Rashid Mazaheri remains unclear several days after he publicly criticized Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in a message shared online.
According to reports from Iran Insight and IranWire, the 36-year-old former Zob Ahan goalkeeper posted a strongly worded statement mourning Iranian citizens who were executed during Khamenei’s leadership. In the message, Mazaheri claimed that the era of Khamenei’s authority had come to an end and referred to him as a “symbol of the gallows.”
In his statement, Mazaheri wrote:
“Khamenei, understand this: your rule over this land is finished. The wall of fear has collapsed, and from the ruins of tyranny, Iran has risen again.
We have not followed football, wrestling, or any other sport for a long time while our honorable athletes remain imprisoned in solitary confinement and subjected to torture by the regime in Iran.”
Mazaheri also invoked historic figures from Persian history, including Kaveh the Blacksmith, Cyrus the Great, and Darius, drawing a contrast between Iran’s ancient legacy and what he described as modern oppression.
Wife Raises Alarm
Not long after the message appeared online, IranWire reported that security agents allegedly entered Mazaheri’s home and detained him in front of his wife.
His wife, Maryam Abdollahi, later said she had been unable to reach him since the incident. She expressed deep concern about his safety and stated that authorities would be responsible for anything that might happen to him.
In an emotional statement, she said:
“The responsibility for my husband’s safety, considering the risks he has taken by choosing to remain in his homeland, rests directly with the government.
Rashid has never been afraid of threats. As a father and a husband, he chose not to stay silent in the face of injustice.
His life may be in danger, but his honor remains intact. The world should know that he stood by his conscience.”
IRGC Response
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later responded to the situation, claiming that Mazaheri had been summoned over an alleged 4-billion-toman debt (roughly $80,000).
According to officials, the former footballer was attempting to take advantage of the country’s political atmosphere and was fabricating claims in order to avoid paying the debt.
Despite these statements, Mazaheri’s current whereabouts remain unknown, and no official details have been released about his condition or status.
The uncertainty surrounding the case has sparked growing concern among supporters, activists, and observers both inside Iran and internationally, who are calling for clarity about what has happened to the former national team goalkeeper.
