Iran arrests soccer player over government criticism

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — State-linked media in Iran are reporting that Voria Ghafouri, a former member of the country’s national soccer team, has been arrested for criticizing the government.

The semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported om Thursday that he was arrested for insulting the national soccer team, which is currently playing in the World Cup, and criticizing the government.

Ghafouri, who was not chosen to go to the World Cup, has been an outspoken critic of Iranian authorities and policies throughout his career.

Iran has been convulsed by anti-government protests for more than two months, the biggest challenge to its Islamic theocracy in more than a decade.