Iranian soccer star publicly backs Israel

Regime opponent Ali Karimi told the mullahs on X that the Israeli airstrikes were “the bill for 46 years of your drunken recklessness.”

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

One of Iran’s greatest soccer players posted messages of support for Israel on social media Saturday as the air war between the two countries continues.

On Instagram, Ali Karimi simply wrote in both English and Persian, “We are Iran, not the Islamic Republic.”

Underneath the words was a picture of two hands, one painted with the Israeli flag and the other with the previous flag of Iran under the Shah, as they clasp each other tightly.

The soccer legend, nicknamed the “Asian Maradona,” has 11 million followers on the site.

Writing in his native language, Karimi was much more verbose on X.

He listed the crimes the regime has committed over the last 16 years against the waves of civilian protests that have taken place over their leaders’ excesses.

“A word to the Islamic Republic and its supporters!!” he wrote. “In 2009, you didn’t listen – you raped and killed. In 2017, you didn’t listen – you tortured and killed. In 2019, you didn’t listen – you raped, tortured, and killed. In 2022, you didn’t listen – you raped, tortured, blinded people, and killed.

“And now, when you’re trapped in the dead end of your own stupidity, don’t start saying ‘the people, the people,'” seemingly referring to the mullahcracy calling for internal support as the Israeli air force sends wave after wave of planes to destroy nuclear sites, fuel depots and missile facilities since Friday.

Israel had every right to go after the mullahs, he stated.

“Israel’s attack is the bill for 46 years of your drunken recklessness, your shouting, and your bullying. You and your thugs can pay it yourselves,” he wrote.

Pulling no punches, he concluded, “The bloodthirsty and criminal enemies of Iran and the Iranian people – are you. You are the ones who must vanish into the black hole of history – enemies of Iran and Iranians.”

Karimi is a longtime vocal opponent of the regime and has publicly praised Israel before in its ongoing war against Iran’s terror clients.

After the exploding-pager operation against Hezbollah last year, he wrote, “On this day of remembrance for those who died in the Iran-Iraq war, hit them as hard as you can, Bibi,” mentioning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by his nickname. “That will be the true remedy for the pain of Iran and the Iranian people.”

Karimi supports the return of the monarchy to power in the form of the son of the late Shah, exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who would like to reinstate democratic rule in his country.

Pahlavi has called for Iranians to take advantage of the Israeli attacks and overthrow the mullahs.

Although there have been calls for Karimi’s arrest, and Karimi has said he has received death threats for his views, so far it seems that his fame has protected him from being thrown into jail or even worse consequences.