Ali Daei and Unprecedented Criticism of Politics and People’s Livelihoods

Ali Daei, former captain of the national team, warned about the difficult living conditions of the people by criticizing price hikes, foreign policy, inflation, and non-transparent decisions.

Ali Daei, former captain and coach of Iran’s national football team, in an interview that is said to have been extensive but only portions of which were leaked, has drawn an uncensored and bitter picture of the country’s current situation; a picture that, although not directly referencing street protests, is clearly understandable in the context of the recent economic upheaval and widespread livelihood grievances.

This conversation took place last Monday, January 5, corresponding to December 15 in the Persian calendar, and according to reports, was deleted from Ali Daei’s personal platforms only minutes after publication. Nevertheless, its content has been published through some domestic media outlets, and portions of the interview video have also circulated widely on social networks; a matter that demonstrates the sensitivity of Daei’s remarks went far beyond a simple sports conversation.

In this interview, for the first time during the current upheaval that began with a spike in the dollar exchange rate and unprecedented economic pressure on people, Daei speaks explicitly about the economic situation. Without directly referring to the protests, he attributes the root of many crises to macro policymaking and officials’ disregard for people’s daily lives.

The star of Iran’s golden football years, while emphasizing the necessity of changing conditions in favor of the people and striving to build a “better Iran,” specifically addresses the issue of price hikes, including the increase in gasoline prices, and raises explicit criticisms; criticisms that are rarely heard from recognized sports figures.

He identifies sanctions as one of the factors intensifying economic pressure on people, but simultaneously points to the deep class gap and the exploitation of specific groups from these circumstances; a group that Daei refers to as “privileged elites.” In part of the interview, referring to someone whose name he does not reveal, he says: “He who has changed his name to Hector, it is clear that sanctions are a blessing for him, and what blessings they are.”

Daei goes on to consider the country’s foreign policy the main knot of the economic crisis and says with an unprecedented sharp tone: “I think even if we had gone to the Cave, if we were among the Companions of the Cave, when we came out, we could not have witnessed such things. Until we correct our foreign policy, we cannot in any way straighten out the country’s economic situation. Is it possible that the dollar has doubled in the past year? How can our officials rest their heads and sleep? Perhaps many of them are not Iranian, because their hearts do not ache for the Iranian nation.”

Referring to common deflections in facing crises, he describes people’s living conditions as indefensible and says: “Whenever something happens, they blame it on the people. Is it possible to live with 30-40 million tomans now? I should cry but I laugh that Afghanistan has appointed someone as the head of its central bank who has neither education nor literacy, but there is no inflation there, yet in our country we have over 80 percent annual inflation.”

Another part of Daei’s criticism concerns Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s president; where he views the increase in gasoline prices not as an honor, but as a sign of distancing from the people. Daei said in this regard: “Mr. Pezeshkian’s pride is that he says I am the only government that has raised the price of gasoline. Does he take pride in this? How can you distance yourself from the people and yet be beloved in their hearts? Is such a thing possible?”

Daei also, in part of this interview, implicitly criticizes non-sports interference in Iranian football; a subject that has been raised for years by football figures but has rarely been stated with such frankness from the lips of a national figure: “Decisions are being made that are outside of football.”

Ali Daei’s remarks, especially at a time when many prominent figures prefer to remain silent, have once again established his position beyond that of a sports legend; a figure who this time speaks not from the football field, but from the fabric of society and from the pressure of people’s lives. Although this interview was quickly deleted, the reactions to it show that a voice coming from the heart of the people cannot be silenced so easily.