Famous Iranian footballer Rashid Mazaheri has had no contact with his wife for more than 48 hours after comparing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to Satan in a social media post condemning the Islamic Republic’s January massacre of protesters, she said.
Mazaheri on Wednesday posted an image on Instagram of Khamenei labeled “Satan,” with the caption: “Your command over this sacred land has ended.”
The post was later deleted, and her wife Maryam Abdollahi said the goalkeeper’s current whereabouts are unknown.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-affiliated Fars News said on Wednesday that a summons had been issued for Mazaheri over an alleged 4-billion-toman - $80,000 - fraud, and that the footballer was "exploiting the country's situation and fabricating lies to avoid paying his debts."
Mazaheri's wife rejected the Fars report, calling them a “carefully engineered lie meant to cover up the truth.”
“Any reports suggesting his arrest over financial matters are fabricated lies meant to hide the truth," she posted on Instagram.
“Rashid knew about these traps and has stood courageously, remaining in his homeland. His bravery cannot be hidden behind these dirty scenarios," she said.
Mazaheri was a goalkeeper for Tehran giants Esteghlal and was even named in Iran's preliminary squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
