Iranian athlete offers medals for capture of | Sports News

Iranian soccer star Mohammad Ansari provided to provide “all the medals” he gained at Persepolis to whoever captured and handed over an “invading” U.S. pilot to police.

On Friday, the U.S. reportedly launched a search-and-rescue mission for two fighter jet pilots after Iran claimed to have shot down an F-15E Strike Eagle jet over central Iran. While the standing and whereabouts of every crew member stay unconfirmed, native stories instructed that a charred ejection seat was found in southern Iran.

Taking to social media, Ansari — who at the moment performs for Mes Rafsanjan within the Persian Gulf Pro League — put ahead a reward for the person who tracked down the pair of U.S. pilots. While enjoying for Persepolis from 2015-2021, the 34-year-old gained the Iranian League championship during the 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 campaigns whereas settling for AFC Champions League runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2020.

Ansari was moreover topped a Hazfi Cup Winner within the 2018-19 season, in addition to a Iran Super Cup Winner in 2017, 2018 and 2019. “All the medals during my playing time at Persepolis are for whoever finds the invading pilot,” he captioned a picture of his accolades on Instagram.

A neighborhood Iranian information channel from the province the place the U.S. pilots have been believed to have been downed introduced a “valuable reward” if the U.S. pilots have been delivered alive to officers.

“Please pay attention,” the anchor started. “Dear viewers. Please pay attention. Residents of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province. Dear and honorable people. If you capture and hand over the enemy pilot or pilots alive to the police or military forces, you will receive a valuable reward.”

Another particular person provided 10 billion tomans reward if the “criminal” F-35 pilot was captured. “Dear fellow province resident,” he stated. “According to received information, an American criminal pilot has crashed in our province.

“God willing, whoever captures this American criminal pilot alive and hands him over will be rewarded. We, the merchants, with the help of some guilds and goldsmiths, and the goldsmiths’ association, by the grace of God are offering a reward of 10 billion tomans.”

According to Israel’s Channel 12, one of the 2 U.S. pilots was rescued and evacuated from southern Iran. As of writing, the opposite crew member stays unaccounted for.

This isn’t the primary time that a U.S. jet has been downed in latest weeks. Last month, three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles have been taken out of the air by pleasant fire over Kuwait, although none of the crew members on board have been injured.

President Donald Trump, in the meantime, has threatened to additional escalate the continuing struggle in Iran if the Strait of Hormuz shouldn’t be reopened. “Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!” he wrote on Truth Social. “New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!”