An Iranian football superstar has complained after Iran diverted an international flight so that they could remove his wife and daughter from the plane to stop them leaving the country.

Ali Daei, the former captain of the Iranian national football team, is a national legend who scored 109 goals during his prolific career as a striker.

He had his own passport removed and was barred from leaving Iran by authorities in the capital city of Tehran upon his re-entry into the country during his return from a trip to Istanbul in Turkey.

But the 53-year-old said that his wife Mona Farrokhazari and daughter had been prevented from leaving after the plane flying to Dubai was made to land on the Iranian island of Kish in the Persian Gulf and security officials forcibly removed them on 26th December.

They were then returned to Tehran as part of what many see as a growing pressure because of his criticism of the government.

In a social media post in September, he told the government to “solve the problems of the Iranian people rather than using repression, violence and arrests”.

He has since had his jewellery shop and restaurant in Teheran shut down by the courts and his name was added to those of other celebrities blacklisted because of their support for the protesters.

Ali Daei is a known supporter of allowing women to attend matches in football stadiums in Iran as well as posting critical messages that have attracted millions of likes.

The football legend wrote: “My homeland Iran means: my family, my father and mother, my daughters and fellow countrymen are my brothers and sisters…”

The former striker was considered the top international goal scorer until his record was smashed by the Portuguese professional football player, Cristiano Ronaldo.