DUBAI: Tehran has charged Iranian international footballer Ali Karimi in absentia for his support of the recent anti-government protests taking place in various parts of the country.
The Dubai-based footballer, who was a former player at German sports club Bayern Munich, has allegedly been under pressure by Iranian security forces in recent days over his posts on social media, reported Radio Farda.
This comes after people took to the country’s streets in recent weeks, fanned by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after being arrested by morality police for failing to ‘properly wear’ the hijab. Amini was rushed to the hospital shortly after her arrest and died three days later.
Karimi, widely regarded as one of the greatest Iranian players of all time, condemned the young woman’s death by supporting protesters and urged security forces to avoid ‘innocent blood to be shed.’
Mehr News Agency has reportedly said that the Iranian footballer has been charged with unlawful ‘assembly and collusion with the intention of acting against national security’, wrote Radio Farda.
The football legend, once described as the Asian Maradona, was one of the first celebrities to condemn the death of Mahsa Amini, added Radio Farda.
The young woman’s death sparked a wave of protests across Iran despite the government warning of harsh crackdowns.
Videos posted on social media show demonstrations taking place in several cities across the country and around the world in support of the cause.
In one of the videos, protesters in the Iranian capital Tehran are seen gathering on Shariati Street with many women blocking it completely.
Iran charges former Bayern Munich player Ali Karimi over support for protests
https://arab.news/9xcmc
Iran charges former Bayern Munich player Ali Karimi over support for protests
- This comes after people took to the country’s streets in recent weeks
- The young woman’s death sparked a wave of protests across Iran despite the government warning of harsh crackdowns
Aleppo Citadel is a witness to the city’s great history and legacy
- Parts of military fortress date back nearly 2 millennia
- Historian Abdullah Hajjar provides an extensive study
DAMASCUS: Towering above the old city, the Aleppo Citadel has stood for centuries as both a military stronghold and symbol of the location’s layered history.
After years of closure, neglect, and damage during the war, the Aleppo Citadel reopened to visitors on Sept. 27 following months of restoration.
The site has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage landmark since 1986.
Rising around 38 meters above its surroundings, the fortress has played a central role in Aleppo’s political, military, and urban development.
Surrounded by a deep defensive moat, the citadel reflects advanced military engineering.
According to historian Abdullah Hajjar in his book “Archaeological Landmarks of Aleppo,” first published in 2010, the moat was excavated and reinforced during the reign of Ayyubid ruler Al-Zahir Ghazi.
At times it was 22 meters deep and about 30 meters wide, and filled with water to strengthen defenses.
Parts of the citadel date back nearly two millennia.
The lower section of its main entrance originates from the third century A.D., while the upper additions were made in the 15th century. Most of the towers and walls were built or expanded between the 13th and 16th centuries.
The citadel has repeatedly been damaged and rebuilt over the centuries. It was destroyed by the Sassanids in 540 A.D., but later restored.
Inside its walls, the citadel contains mosques, military structures, and residential buildings, offering a rare glimpse into daily life within a medieval fortress.
Among its landmarks are the Ibrahim Al-Khalil Mosque, the Great Mosque, defensive towers, barracks, and several historic houses.
Archaeological excavations have uncovered remains from multiple eras. This includes a ninth-century B.C. temple, Roman and Byzantine sarcophagi, and water cisterns dating to the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian, who rebuilt Aleppo’s fortifications in the sixth century against Persian invaders.
The citadel flourished during the Mamluk period, when it was restored by Sultan Baybars after the 1260 Battle of Ain Jalut.
Later inscriptions document victories by Mamluk rulers over Crusader and Mongol forces.
Under Ottoman rule, following the Battle of Marj Dabiq in 1516, the fortress gradually lost its military role and became an administrative and residential site.
The book outlines the various stages of restoration of the Aleppo Citadel over the centuries.
It highlights that Al-Zahir Ghazi, son of Saladdine Ayyubi, excavated the moat, reinforced the entrance with three wrought-iron gates, and built a large mosque within the fortress.
Later, Al-Zahir Baybars restored the citadel after the Mongol invasion, and in 1417, Sultan Al-Mu’ayyad Shaykh repaired its walls following their destruction by Timur in 1401.
The Aleppo Citadel has also survived powerful earthquakes, including a devastating quake in 1138 and another in 1822, each followed by major restoration efforts led by regional rulers of the time.
Beyond the citadel itself, Hajjar’s research documents Aleppo’s wider architectural heritage, including historic bathhouses and caravanserais that once supported the city’s role as a major trade center.
