ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq –  Iranian state-affiliated media on Saturday accused Kurdish footballer Voria Ghafouri of encouraging people to join the nationwide protests, citing the closure of a cafe owned by the athlete on days of demonstrations.

Demonstrations have been ongoing across Iran for nearly two weeks, with the last two days seeing the largest crowds. The Iranian government has shut down internet services since Thursday evening, continuing a pattern of restricting online platforms during times of unrest to control the flow of news.

Fars News Agency, an outlet affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported on Saturday that Ghafouri posted on his cafe’s social media platforms that the place would be closed on Thursdays and Fridays, days on which protests scheduled last week.

The report accused the footballer of calling on people to join protests organized by opposition groups and said the call “resulted in the martyrdom of many security forces and the destruction of public property on Thursday night.”

The media outlet warned that “calling for chaos will be met with a strong response.”

Despite representing Iran at several international tournaments, including the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and playing for some of the country’s most prominent clubs, Ghafouri has been repeatedly targeted by Iranian authorities for publicly voicing concern during nationwide protests, a move that disrupted his professional career.

He has been an outspoken critic of authorities and was arrested on charges of making propaganda against the state and tarnishing the national team.

During the country’s largest nationwide protests in 2022, sparked by the death of young Kurdish woman Zhina (Mahsa) Amini in the custody of the so-called morality police, Ghafouri was arrested on charges of “incitement against the regime,” for supporting the demonstrations. He was later released on bail.

Despite the challenges, Ghafouri returned to football in October as part of the coaching staff for the Tehran-based Esteghlal FC.

Ghafouri served as captain of Esteghlal FC from 2019 to 2022, but his contract was not renewed with the club following his release from detention, a decision many claimed was linked to his outspoken political criticism.

Nationwide protests continue across Iran, with even the country’s most conservative cities, Mashhad and Qom, participating in strikes and demonstrations. 

Mashhad and Qom, as well as Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, had largely stayed out of the country’s protest movements in the past.

As of Friday, at least 47 people had been identified as “killed by direct fire from government forces,” according to the Oslo-based Hengaw Human Rights Organization.