Before joining Esteghlal in 2016, Ghafouri spent a successful two-year spell with Sepahan, winning the Iranian League in 2015.

During the 2022 World Cup, Voria Ghafouri was arrested for speaking publicly online against the violent repression of Iranian protesters.

[5] On 5 June 2016, he signed with Esteghlal on a two-year contract, reuniting him with his former manager at Naft Tehran, Alireza Mansourian.

[14][15] On 2 April, Ghafouri scored his first AFC Champions League goal from the penalty spot in a 2–0 win against Al-Rayyan, securing qualification for the Round of 16 as Group D winners.

[19] From the start of the 2018–19 season, Esteghlal's manager Winfried Schäfer, led to him being deployed in right-wing positions, a place where he'd occasionally played in his previous teams.

[32] After sitting out the first game against Yemen, he made his first appearance in the competition on 12 January and played the entire 2–0 win over Vietnam.

On 18 February, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated: "Some people, who benefit from the country's peace and security enjoying their jobs and their favorite sports, bite the hand that feeds them" which was claimed to be referring to Ghafouri and fellow footballer Ali Karimi.

A few hours after Khamenei's speech, he was summoned by the Ministry of Sport and Youth to give an explanation about his comments on Zarif.

[39] During Esteghlal's next home game against Pars Jonoubi Jam, fans chanted his name at the 21-minute mark (as his shirt number is 21) to show their support to him.

Following another incident of violence against female football fans in 2021, Ghafouri wrote on Instagram "As a soccer player, I’ve indeed become humiliated when I play in an era when our mothers and sisters are prohibited from entering stadiums.

"[43] In June 2022, Ghafouri announced Esteghlal owners had refused to renew his contract for the 2023 season, which many observers alleged was in retaliation to his outspoken criticism of the government.

On the day of the match, his name was called many times by football fans and people thanked him for his social activities.

[53] On 24 November, Ghafouri was arrested by Iranian security forces after posting a call on social media for the government to end its violence against Kurds.