Iran force lands Dubai-bound Mahan Airlines jet on island to stop ex footballer’s family

In a desperate attempt to ground the outspoken football icon’s family who allegedly participated in anti-government protests, the Iranian authorities on Monday, Dec 26 forced a Dubai-bound Mahan Airlines flight to land on Kish Islands, some 200 kilometers off Dubai in the Persian Gulf. Commercial flight 063, carrying footballer Ali Daei's wife and daughter flew out of Tehran airport at 11:15 am local time but was forced to make a landing by the Iranian security personnel, who disembarked the footballer’s family on grounds that they cannot leave the country.

Credit: Flightradar24

'No one has given an answer'

Reacting to the incident, Ali Daei’ wrote on social media: “Today, my wife and daughter legally boarded a plane from Imam Khomeini Airport [in Tehran] to go to Dubai, but the plane was returned from Dubai and landed in Kish to drop off my daughter and wife.” Furthermore, he informed, that while his family members were not detained, they were banned from leaving Iran. Daei, an Iranian football legend who was the captain of the national team from 2000-2006, accused the Iranian regime of harassment, stating that the police could have stopped the family during the passport check. 

“No one has given me an answer. I really don't know what the reason is for such moves. Did they want to arrest a terrorist? My wife and daughter were going to Dubai for a trip and their return flight was on Monday,” he furthermore revealed in his post. “It’s hard to believe! They passed through passport control and boarded the plane quite legally, but they [security forces] returned so many passengers from Dubai to drop off my wife and daughter. If there was a problem, why didn't they arrest them? If there is no problem, why did they bring them back?” Daei stressed. 

Iranians protest in downtown Tehran. Credit: AP

Iran’s state-run news agencies Tasnim and ISNA quoted an “informed source” who requested anonymity as saying that Ali Daei's wife was banned by the Iranian regime from leaving Iran as she “invited people to go on nationwide strikes, but she had managed to revoke the ban through an unlawful way.” She was banned in accordance with a Judicial order acted on the recommendation of the National Security Council headed by the President, the source claimed. Islamic Republic's Judiciary alleged that the football icon's wife did not inform security in advance about her plans to travel in the future. Many others meanwhile slammed the Iranian regime for its attempt to silence the dissent within the Islamic Republic.

Daei has been a vocal supporter of the ongoing protests against the Iranian Shiite clerical leadership that was sparked after the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. The latter was detained by Iran’s so-called morality police for breach of the country’s strict Islamic dress codes for women. In an act of defiance against the regime’s oppression of women, Daei refused to travel to Qatar to attend the World Cup 2022.