{"id":7529,"date":"2026-04-21T14:29:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T14:29:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=7529"},"modified":"2026-04-21T14:29:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T14:29:04","slug":"hossein-vafaei-speaks-out-on-challenge-of-playing-on-during-iran-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=7529","title":{"rendered":"Hossein Vafaei speaks out on challenge of playing on during Iran war"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Hossein Vafaei will represent Iran at the Crucible again this week (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Iran\u2019s Hossein Vafaei returns to the Crucible on Wednesday and does so during an incredibly stressful time as war continues in his home country.<\/p>\n

The 31-year-old remains the only Iranian player to appear at the Crucible and will do so for a fifth time this year.<\/p>\n

He breezed through qualifying, beating Michal Szubarczyk 10-2 and Gao Yang 10-4 to book his first round clash with Si Jiahui.<\/p>\n

Vafaei has pulled off those impressive results amid the backdrop of war in Iran, which understandably makes focussing on his snooker very difficult.<\/p>\n

The one-time ranking event winner says his family in Iran are safe, but it has been a very hard time nonetheless.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m fighting as well for my country, for my family. And I\u2019m trying my best. Everything that happens, happens, but I\u2019m going to give it all,\u2019 Vafaei said after securing his place at the Crucible.<\/p>\n

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You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Phil has been reporting on snooker for over a decade, since working in World Snooker’s press office in 2012<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2018It\u2019s been very hard. Very, very hard. Imagine\u2026I don\u2019t know how to say, I don\u2019t want to get involved to that. But it\u2019s been tough. Yeah, very tough.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Vafaei beat Barry Hawkins in the opening round last year (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Vafaei is based in Sheffield, where he practices alongside fellow professionals at one of the city\u2019s snooker academies.<\/p>\n

Concentrating on practice has been very difficult as bad news has been a regular distraction of late.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s tough, you know. You get the bad texts in your day, you can\u2019t focus on your job,\u2019 he explained. \u2018Imagine lots of things happening, and how can I focus on everything? <\/p>\n

\u2018To be an Iranian, you\u2019re like ten people, you\u2019re lifting too many things on your head. And it\u2019s tough, it\u2019s very tough. No one knows how tough it is.\u2019<\/p>\n

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