Iranian embassy in Spain has denied reports that ace footballer Cristiano Ronaldo could face 99 lashes the next time he visits Iran after his picture hugging an Iranian painter went viral on the internet.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Iran’s embassy in Spain posted, “We strongly deny the issuance of any court ruling against any international athlete in Iran. It is a matter of concern that the publication of such unfounded news could overshadow crimes against humanity and war crimes against the oppressed Palestinian nation.”
They further added, “It should be noted that Cristiano Ronaldo travelled to Iran on September 18 and 19 to play in an official soccer match and was very well received by the people and the authorities. His sincere and humane meeting with Fatemeh Hamami was also praised and admired by both the people and the country’s sports authorities.”
The 38-year-old Portuguese Al-Nassr star, romantically linked with Georgina Rodriguez, hugged the Iranian painter recently during his visit to Tehran. It was during his trip to Iran in September for a match against Persepolis in the Asian Champions League, a game that CR7’s side emerged victorious from with a 2-0 score.
While in Iran, the soccer player presented painter Fatemeh Hamami with a signed jersey. He embraced her and planted a kiss on her cheek, expressing his appreciation for her gifting him two of her artworks crafted with her feet.
As per the Iranian press, multiple Iranian lawyers have lodged accusations against Cristiano Ronaldo for this conduct. Iran has strict laws for what it considers ‘adultery’ and in accordance with Iranian law, physical contact with an unmarried woman is considered akin to adultery.
Reportedly, the Iranian judiciary could have imposed a sentence of 99 lashes on Cristiano Ronaldo during his future visits to Iran. However, a judge can pardon the sentence if the actions are deemed non-punishable or if those involved express remorse.
Currently, the possibility of Ronaldo returning to Iran seems limited, given that Al Nassr has no immediate plans to play there.