Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Iran asks Spain to extradite former diplomat's playboy son

Iran has asked Spain to extradite the son of a retired senior Iranian diplomat who is famous for showing off his lavish lifestyle on social media.

Sasha Sobhani, a 33-year-old musician, appeared in court in Madrid after Iran accused him of running illegal gambling websites and money-laundering.

He denied the charges and warned he was at risk of torture if he was sent back.

He said Iran's government was angry about criticism of it he had shared with his 2.6m followers on Instagram.

Mr Sobhani spent much of his childhood living outside the country because of his father's career, which involved postings to Armenia, Gabon and Venezuela.

He told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo that he had stayed in Venezuela after his father finished as ambassador there in 2006 and returned to Tehran to serve as deputy foreign minister in the government of then hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Mr Sobhani eventually moved back to Iran, where he gained a following on social media as one the "Rich Kids of Tehran", an Instagram account that chronicled the lives of the capital's wealthy young elite.

He also ran afoul of the authorities by organising raves. He said he was arrested and sentenced to prison, but that he later managed to flee to Turkey.

He moved to Spain two years ago, when he began sharing photographs showing himself with scantily clad women, alcohol, fast cars and private jets.


He also posted videos for his Persian-speaking followers that were critical of the Iranian government.

"I criticise the regime, the lack of freedom they have, I teach them how I live and tell them that they too could live like this. And of course, Iran cannot allow the son of a high official to say those things," he told El Mundo.

Last week, Spanish authorities acted on an Iranian extradition request, which accused Mr Sobhani of running gambling websites that are based outside Iran but are illegal under Iranian law.

Mr Sobhani denied he was involved at a court hearing, stressing that he only had contracts to advertise such sites. He also vowed to fight extradition.

"There they would torture me until I begged them to kill me," he said. "I prefer a grave in Spain than a prison in Iran, but I trust Spanish justice."

In December, Iranian police said they had arrested more than 30 people "active in the field of gambling" as part of a crackdown. They reportedly included some Instagram influencers with more than a million followers each.

Iran's central bank also warned that the identities of 70,000 "active gamblers" had been handed over to the judiciary. It warned that people who ignored warnings to stop gambling faced prosecution.


Iranian Parkour athlete Alireza Japalaghy was arrested over a rooftop kiss


Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×