Off the field, Ghelichkhani has been an active political figure. In 1972, he was arrested by SAVAK, the secret police of the Pahlavi regime, for his leftist political activities. After his release, he continued to advocate for political change, which led to his exclusion from the national team after the 1976 Asian Championship. He later moved to France, where he became the editor and publisher of Arash, a political and cultural magazine focusing on issues.
