This post by Alexandru Micu is published by Aljazeera. Here is an excerpt: 

Iranian security forces have arrested popular football player Voria Ghafouri on charges of having “tarnished the reputation of the national team” and spreading “propaganda” against Iran.

Ghafouri, who is of Kurdish origins and has strongly supported the protests that have rocked the country since September, was arrested after a club training session on Thursday, the Fars news agency reported.

Ghafouri has represented Iran’s national football team in the past, but was not called up for this year’s World Cup in Qatar, where the national team refrained from singing the national anthem at their first match against England on Monday.

Read full story here.