Former Barcelona star’s 12-hour escape from Iran: “We saw some missiles”

Former Barcelona star Munir, one of several Spanish soccer players caught in the sudden escalation of conflict in the Middle East while playing in Iran’s league, has safely left the country. After more than 12 hours on the road with almost no sleep, the payers reached the Iran-Turkey border and are now waiting for flights to Spain via Istanbul.

Their escape came just in time. As AS reported yesterday, both Munir and Iván Sánchez, who played in LaLiga for Real Valladolid, were forced to leave their plane while about to enjoy a few days off granted by their clubs.

AS spoke with the players and Persepolis coach Pepe Losada on Saturday, after the entire Persian Gulf airspace was closed. Munir and Sánchez had to find overland routes to exit Iran. Their clubs - Esteghlal for Munir and Sepahan for Sánchez - advised them to leave the country and even facilitated a calm, organized departure. Both had originally planned a short personal trip by plane, but the sudden outbreak of conflict forced them to abandon the aircraft.

“Thank you to everyone who sent messages and showed concern for my situation in Iran,” Munir wrote on social media. “Yesterday we intended to leave by plane, but we were evacuated from the aircraft and could not take off. The club provided a car so we could cross the border safely. I am now safe in Turkey and will reach Spain in the coming hours. Thank you all for your support.”

Munir’s career includes stints at Barcelona, Valencia, Alavés, Sevilla, Getafe, Las Palmas, and Leganés.

Iván Sánchez, 33, from Jaén, who previously played for Almería, Albacete, Elche, Birmingham, and Valladolid, also relied on a road journey to reach Turkey. He described the tense journey to AS: “We had to leave the plane, and my club, Sepahan, provided transportation and security. We traveled to the Turkey-Iran border - 12 hours in total - then took a taxi for two hours to the Turkish city of Van and finally reached an airport. We will now fly from Istanbul to Spain.”

Despite the long journey and limited rest, the players described the trip as generally safe. “We saw some missiles occasionally, but they were destroyed in the air. Overall, it was a good trip,” Sánchez said. He was accompanied by Sepahan teammate Ricardo Alves from Portugal.

Persepolis staff members Pepe Losada and fitness coach Emilio Álvarez, along with the team’s goalkeeper coach, are also expected to reach Turkey overland in the coming hours without complications. Other Spanish players in Iran were temporarily stranded by the conflict but have now made it to safety.