Spanish World Cup trekker homebound after year-long detention in Iran
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Spanish man who was detained by Iranian authorities in October 2022 as he was journeying by foot to attend the World Cup in Qatar is set to fly back home following his release from Iran, Spain’s foreign minister announced on Monday.
Santiago Sanchez, 42, embarked on his ambitious journey in January 2022, documenting every step of the way on his Instagram account. After hiking through 15 different countries, he was reported missing in Iran in October 2022. He was last seen in the Kurdistan Region before his family lost contact with him.
“Santiago Sanchez is now flying freely to Spain. Today happiness is complete,” wrote Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on X, adding that the trekker “will finally be able to join his family and friends in Spain very soon.”
Albares thanked the Spanish embassy in Iran and the foreign ministry for their efforts to bring Sanchez back home.
The Iranian embassy in Madrid on Sunday announced that Sanchez had been released “within the framework of friendly and historical relations” between the two countries.
The reason for Sanchez’s detention has yet to be officially revealed. His arrest came during a period in which Iranian security forces were cracking down on the nationwide protests sparked by Zhina (Mahsa) Amini’s death, and had already arrested several foreign nationals for alleged links to the demonstrations.
Hengaw Human Rights Organization at the time said that Sanchez was arrested in the Kurdish city of Saqqez after visiting Amini’s grave.
Ana Baneira Suarez, another Spanish national, was also arrested by Iranian authorities in November 2022 during the Amini protests. She was released in February after three months of detention.
There are a number of dual and foreign nationals being held in Iranian prisons on charges of spying for foreign governments with rights groups accusing Tehran of using them as bargaining chips to gain concessions from world powers.
Santiago Sanchez, 42, embarked on his ambitious journey in January 2022, documenting every step of the way on his Instagram account. After hiking through 15 different countries, he was reported missing in Iran in October 2022. He was last seen in the Kurdistan Region before his family lost contact with him.
“Santiago Sanchez is now flying freely to Spain. Today happiness is complete,” wrote Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on X, adding that the trekker “will finally be able to join his family and friends in Spain very soon.”
Albares thanked the Spanish embassy in Iran and the foreign ministry for their efforts to bring Sanchez back home.
The Iranian embassy in Madrid on Sunday announced that Sanchez had been released “within the framework of friendly and historical relations” between the two countries.
The reason for Sanchez’s detention has yet to be officially revealed. His arrest came during a period in which Iranian security forces were cracking down on the nationwide protests sparked by Zhina (Mahsa) Amini’s death, and had already arrested several foreign nationals for alleged links to the demonstrations.
Hengaw Human Rights Organization at the time said that Sanchez was arrested in the Kurdish city of Saqqez after visiting Amini’s grave.
Ana Baneira Suarez, another Spanish national, was also arrested by Iranian authorities in November 2022 during the Amini protests. She was released in February after three months of detention.
There are a number of dual and foreign nationals being held in Iranian prisons on charges of spying for foreign governments with rights groups accusing Tehran of using them as bargaining chips to gain concessions from world powers.