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23 May 2026, 13:55

Parviz Gholichkhani, the former captain of the Iranian national football team and a leftist political activist, passed away at the age of 81. He had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Najmeh Mousavi-Paimbari, Parviz Gholichkhani's "partner and companion," told BBC Persian: "The national hero and an ever-living figure of Iran passed away on May 23, 2026, corresponding to Khordad 2, 1405, in a hospital on the outskirts of Paris."

Before the revolution, Mr. Gholichkhani played not only for the national team but also for clubs such as Taj, Persepolis, and Pas. He is the only player to have won the Asian Cup three times with the Iranian team. After the revolution, he managed the left-leaning magazine Arash abroad.

He started playing football in the alleys of the Soap Factory neighborhood in Shush Square, Tehran, and after a short time became a skilled footballer and eventually the captain of the Iranian national team. However, before he could fully savor the taste of football championships, his attention turned to politics, leading him to end up behind bars. After the revolution, he transitioned from a professional footballer to a political activist and expatriate journalist.
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