List of Iranian defectors

This is a list of individuals who have defected from Iran.

Name Occupation Year Notes Ref.
Alireza Sohbati Diplomat 2026 Diplomat at the Iranian embassy in Copenhagen, applied for asylum in Denmark. [1]
Mohammad Pournajaf Diplomat 2026 Chargé d'affaires of the Islamic Republic’s embassy in Canberra, applied for asylum in Australia. [1]
Atefeh Ramezanizadeh Athlete 2026 Player for the Iran women's national football team; defected during the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia and was subsequently granted a humanitarian visa by the Australian government [2][3]
Zahra Ghanbari Athlete 2026 Player for the Iran women's national football team; defected during the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia and was subsequently granted a humanitarian visa by the Australian government [2][3]
Fatemeh Pasandideh Athlete 2026 Player for the Iran women's national football team; defected during the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia and was subsequently granted a humanitarian visa by the Australian government [2][3]
Gholam-Reza Derikvand Diplomat 2026 Chargé d'affaires of the Iranian embassy in Vienna; requested asylum from Switzerland due to the political unrest during the 2025-2026 Iranian protests [4]
Alireza Jeyrani Hokmabad Diplomat 2026 Senior official at Iran’s permanent mission to UN; requested asylum from Switzerland due to the political unrest during the 2025-2026 Iranian protests [5]
Kimia Alizadeh Athlete 2020 First woman from Iran to win an Olympic medal (Taekwondo) [6]
Saeid Mollaei Athlete 2019 Olympic judoka and 2018 world champion [7]
Pourya Jalalipour Athlete 2019 Para-archer who qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan [8]
Farzad Farhangian Diplomat 2010 Former press attache at the Iranian embassy in Brussels, Belgium [9]
Mohammad Reza Heydari Diplomat 2010 [9]
Hossein Alizadeh Diplomat 2010 [9]
Shahram Amiri Nuclear scientist 2009 Returned to Iran in 2010; executed by the Iranian government in 2016 “for revealing top secrets to the enemy” [10]
Ahmad Rezaee 1998 Eldest son of Iranian conservative politician and senior military officer Mohsen Rezaee; found dead in 2011 at a hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (possible assassination) [11]
Abdolghassem Mesbahi Intelligence operative 1996 [12]
Marzieh Singer 1994 [13]
Mehdi Rezvani Athlete 1986 Weightlifter competing at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, South Korea; won the bronze medal at the 242-pound class [14]
Samad Montazeri Athlete 1986 Weightlifter competing at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, South Korea [14]
Siamak Bajand Athlete 1986 Weightlifter competing at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, South Korea [14]
Ardhir Bahmanyar Athlete 1986 Weightlifter competing at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, South Korea [14]
Ali Akbar Mohammadi Pilot 1986 Former pilot for the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Akbar Rafsanjani; assassinated in Hamburg, West Germany, in 1987 [15]
Iraj Fazeli Pilot 1983 Due to his opposition to the Iranian regime, he first flew to Van in Turkey in a Northrop F-5 (the plane returned a week later). He later went to the U.S. before disappearing there in 1989. [16][17]
Parviz Khazai Diplomat 1982 Chargé d'affaires at the Iranian embassy in Oslo, Norway [18]
Reza Abedi Athlete 1982 Wrestler [19]
Ardeshir Asgari Athlete 1982 Wrestler [19]
Keyhan Jahanfakhr Pilot 1982 Iranian airline pilot; applied for political asylum in Austria after piloting his Iran Air Boeing 727 on a flight from Tehran [20][21]
Seyyed Jabbar Mehdiyoun Athlete 1982 Wrestler; defected during the 1982 World Wrestling Championships in Edmonton, Canada [22]
Mohammad Hossein Naghdi Diplomat 1982 Charge d'affaires at the Iranian embassy in Rome, Italy; assassinated in Rome in 1993 [23][24]
Javad Hussain Military 1981 Iranian Air Force colonel [25]

References

  1. ^ a b "Two Iranian diplomats apply for asylum in Denmark, Australia". www.iranintl.com. 2026-03-12. Retrieved 2026-03-15.
  2. ^ a b c Whitehead, Jacob (2026-03-09). "Five Iran Women soccer players defect with help of police following Asian Cup in Australia". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  3. ^ a b c "Australia grants asylum to 5 members of the Iranian women's soccer team, official says". NBC News. 2026-03-09. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  4. ^ "Another Iran diplomat seeks asylum in Switzerland, sources say". www.iranintl.com. 2026-02-03. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  5. ^ "Iranian diplomat in Geneva seeks asylum in Switzerland, sources say". www.iranintl.com. 2026-01-18. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  6. ^ "The only woman to win an Olympic medal for Iran just defected". The Washington Post. January 12, 2020.
  7. ^ "Judo world champion granted Mongolian citizenship after fleeing Iran". NBC Sports. 2 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Another Iranian Athlete Refuses To Return Home; Applying For Asylum Iran". Radio Farda. 5 September 2019.
  9. ^ a b c "Iranian diplomats' defections signal fissures in Islamic Republic leaders over election unrest". AP. September 14, 2010.
  10. ^ "How an Iranian's Spy Saga Ends, 6 Years Later: He's Executed". The New York Times. August 7, 2016.
  11. ^ Sciolino, Elaine (2001). Persian Mirrors: The Elusive Face of Iran. Simon & Schuster. pp. 287–288. ISBN 0-7432-1779-9.
  12. ^ "Iran Blew Up Jewish Center In Argentina, Defector Says". The New York Times. July 22, 2002.
  13. ^ "Marzieh, Iranian Singer and Voice of Dissent, Dies at 86". The New York Times. October 16, 2010.
  14. ^ a b c d "Iranian Weightlifters Missing, Reported Defected to Iraq". AP. October 3, 1986.
  15. ^ "Former Pilot for Iran's Parliament Speaker Slain". AP. January 16, 1987.
  16. ^ "Перебежчики "холодной войны"". www.airwar.ru. Retrieved 2022-12-17.
  17. ^ "Быстрое изучение английских слов. Мнемотехника". mnemoenglish.ru. Retrieved 2022-12-17.
  18. ^ "Iranian Aide Defects in Oslo". The New York Times. Reuters. October 8, 1982.
  19. ^ a b "Reza Abedi's Greatest Escape". OC Weekly. May 12, 2011.
  20. ^ "Iran Pilot Defects in Vienna". The New York Times. Reuters. October 18, 1982.
  21. ^ Iranian Air Pilot Defects. Associated Press. The Victoria Advocate 18 October 1982: 7A.
  22. ^ "An Iranian wrestler who defected during the World Wrestling..." UPI. August 18, 1982.
  23. ^ "Iranian official quits over Khomeini rule". UPI. April 19, 1982.
  24. ^ "Iranian Is Killed in Rome By 2 Gunmen on a Scooter". The New York Times. March 17, 1993.
  25. ^ "Turkey Weighs Asylum For Iran Air Force Defector". The New York Times. March 18, 1981.
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