Iran’s women’s football team has become the centre of a political and humanitarian controversy during the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia.
The Cup began in the days after the U.S. and Israel struck Iran, killing the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and follows mass protests earlier this year.
Iranian state media criticised the team for not singing the country’s national anthem ahead of their first match.
Many have raised concerns about the team’s safety if they return to Iran after their elimination from the tournament.
Context
In December, the largest civilian protests in Iran since the 1979 Revolution kicked off.
Demonstrators called for the end of the Iranian regime. Local health officials told media that an estimated 30,000 protesters have been killed.
On28 February (AEDT), the U.S. and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran, killing the Supreme Leader.
Iran played its first Women’s Asian Cup match on 2 March.
Before that match, against South Korea, Iranian players did not sing their national anthem.
A presenter on Iranian state mediareacted by labelling the players “traitors,” calling their actions “the pinnacleof dishonour”.
The backlash raised concerns about what might happen to the squad if they return home.
The Iranian regime has executed people for treason (betraying the nation) in the past.
Development
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At their remaining group-stage games against Australia and the Philippines, the team sang the national anthem and gave a military-style salute.
After the match against the Philippines on the Gold Coast, around 200 protesters surrounded the team’s bus as it attempted to leave the venue.
Protesters banged on the vehicle and chanted “let them go”.
Police intervened to push back the crowd and clear a path for the bus, which eventually managed to leave after about 15 minutes.
Many of the demonstrators were members of the Iranian diaspora in Australia, with some waving Iran’s flag from before the revolution.
The protest appeared to reflect wider anger toward the Iranian regime and concern for the players’ safety.
According to Nine newspapers, a person on the bus displayed the international hand signal for ‘help’.
What's next?
The controversy has prompted calls for Australia to offer the team protection.
A group of Iranian community organisations has written to the Federal Government expressing concern the players will face repercussions if they go back to Iran.
The group has also launched a petition on Change.org titled ‘Provide protection for Iran’s women’s national football team’, which has almost 60,000 signatures.
“The players are... women under the authority of a barbaric authoritarian state that has a long record of punishing perceived disobedience, including through intimidation, coercion, torture and reprisals against family members,” the group said.
Former Socceroo Craig Foster told ABC Radio on Monday morning: “I think it’s pretty clear to everyone... the potential threat that they’re facing, whether here or particularly if they do return or when they do return to Iran.”
Iran’s coach Marziyeh Jafari told reporters on Sunday: “We want to come back to Iran as soon as we can. I want to be with my country and home, Iranians inside Iran.”
