TEHRAN — Contrary to circulating reports, the Iranian embassy in Spain has strongly denied allegations that the Portuguese football superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, is set to receive 99 lashes for touching a single woman.
The controversy was sparked when the Iranian network, Sharq Emroz, reported that several lawyers filed a legal complaint against Ronaldo. This was in reaction to an affectionate meeting between Ronaldo and Iranian painter Fatima Hamami, who is 85% paralyzed. The two shared a hug, a gesture that became the epicenter of this international media frenzy.
In an official response to the rising tide of global speculation, the Iranian embassy in Spain made its stance clear.
“We vehemently refute any suggestion of a court ruling against any international athlete in Iran,” the embassy mentioned in its official Twitter statement.
The embassy took the opportunity to highlight larger regional concerns:
“It’s disconcerting that such baseless news might eclipse real humanitarian and war crimes against the beleaguered Palestinian nation.”
Ronaldo’s trip to Iran, which took place in September, was for an official football match. It was during this visit that he met with Hamami, who gifted the footballer a painting. The encounter, described as genuine, was praised by both the public and sports authorities in Iran.
However, despite the goodwill during Ronaldo’s visit, this incident serves as a reminder of how narratives can shift dramatically in the public eye.
The embassy’s statement on Twitter further elaborated:
“Desmentimos rotundamente la emisión de cualquier fallo judicial contra cualquier deportista internacional en Irán… Su encuentro sincero y humano con Fatemeh Hamami fue elogiado y admirado.”
