Ali Daei, a prominent former soccer player in Iran who has expressed support for anti-government protests, says his wife and daughter were prevented from leaving the country on Monday after their plane made an unannounced stopover en route to Dubai.
Daei, a top international goalscorer and former Iranian team captain, was a member of the team that broke Australian hearts when Iran drew with the Socceroos at the MCG at the final stage of qualification for the 1998 World Cup in France. He was one of Iran’s best in the second half and set up his side’s second goal, which drew the visitors level on aggregate.
He had his own passport briefly confiscated after returning to the country earlier this year and said his wife and daughter departed from the capital, Tehran, legally before the flight made an unannounced stop on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf, where they were questioned by authorities.
Daei said his daughter was released, but the doors to the flight were closed by then. He said his family had planned to travel to Dubai and return next week.
The flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed Mahan Air Flight W563 being diverted to Kish Island before travelling onward to Dubai a couple of hours later.
There was no comment from the airline or Iranian authorities.
Read the article in the Brisbane Times.