Hossein Vafaei admits he has received calls to pull out of the UK Championship amid the unrest back in his homeland in Iran.
Vafaei, 28, will take on Mark Selby in York on Tuesday amid ongoing protests in Iran, which has seen hundreds die in recent weeks with many more detained and facing possible execution.
The snooker star is trying to focus on the task at hand in the UK Championship but fears for the safety of friends and family, with the news leaving him in tears.