The Iranian Australian community is gripped by a growing sense of dread and urgency, desperately seeking contact with Iran’s women’s football team, the Lionesses, before their departure from Australia. The team concluded their Women’s Asian Cup campaign on the Gold Coast, but uncertainty surrounds their exact departure date, fuelling fears of reprisal upon their return to Iran.
The players found themselves in a precarious situation after being labelled “traitors” on Iranian state television. This condemnation followed their initial decision not to sing the national anthem before their first match, a protest that coincided with the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In subsequent matches, the team did sing and salute the anthem.
As the Lionesses departed the stadium after their final game, a crowd of demonstrators surrounded their bus, their chants of “lion and sun girls we support you” a powerful display of solidarity. Some protestors resorted to banging on the bus, pleading, “let them go.” The lion and sun flag, a potent symbol of opposition to the current Iranian regime, was prominently displayed by the demonstrators.
Hadi Karimi, a Brisbane-based human rights activist who participated in the protests, conveyed the raw emotion of the situation. “We surrounded the bus,” he stated, his voice heavy with concern. “We asked police to save their lives; their lives are in danger.” Karimi implored the Australian government and the public to intervene. “The world should stand with Iranians now. I have been threatened with death in this country, in this city, because I am a human rights advocate, because I am a voice of the voiceless. Australia, wake up now,” he pleaded.
Direct communication with the players has been severely hampered by a significant security presence surrounding the team. Masoud Zoohori, who operates Radio Neshat, a Persian-language broadcasting service based in Melbourne, has been closely following the tournament. He reported being in contact with the athletes until Saturday, but they were allegedly under strict surveillance by an individual he identified as a representative of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s (IRGC) intelligence service. The ABC has sought comment from the Department of Home Affairs. The IRGC is designated as a terrorist organisation in Australia, and individuals with known links to the service are ineligible for visas, with those found to have such connections while in Australia facing deportation.
Zoohori described the players’ state of mind to ABC News in Farsi: “The girls are very worried; the girls are very stressed. They’re scared. They didn’t sing the national anthem the first match [and could face arrest upon returning home].” He relayed their distress: “‘It’s like we’re in prison … we’re constantly under control. We don’t have any word from family back home. They won’t let us leave the hotel alone. We’re under a lot of pressure.'” Zoohori recounted being asked to leave by hotel security when he attempted to speak with the athletes on Friday and Saturday, noting that the players found it difficult to speak freely, expressing their upset and constant control. He expressed concern that the athletes might be diverted to another country before their eventual return to Iran, especially given the suspension of flights to Iran due to ongoing conflicts.
Coach’s Plea for Return
Iran’s coach, Marziyeh Jafari, who had maintained a reserved demeanour throughout the tournament, shared her sentiments after the final match. Speaking through an interpreter, she stated, “We want to come back to Iran as soon as we can, and I want to be with my country and with all Iranians inside Iran. We are eager to come back as soon as we can.”
International Voices of Concern
Exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi, a prominent figure for those opposing the current regime, has voiced his concerns on social media. He highlighted that the team members are under “significant pressure and ongoing threat from the Islamic Republic” and urged the Australian government to ensure their safety and provide necessary support.
Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad, a vocal critic of the Iranian government, has also joined the chorus of calls for action. She labelled the athletes as victims of “Transnational Repression,” facing threats not only to their own lives but also to their families back home. Alinejad issued a direct plea to the Australian government:
- Break the circle of security agents surrounding these women.
- Ensure they have a safe space to speak freely without the presence of regime ‘minders.’
- Prevent the forced return of any player who is being coerced into boarding a flight back to danger.
- Australia, do not be a bystander to a kidnapping on your own soil. Protect them!
When questioned by ABC Insiders over the weekend, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed solidarity with the Iranian people but declined to comment specifically on the team’s situation.
Community Action and Concerns
Over the weekend, a petition was launched by Iranian Australians, calling on the government to safeguard the players. Many individuals speaking with the ABC emphasised the complex pressures faced by the players, noting that they might not wish to seek asylum due to concerns for their families’ safety in Iran if they do not return.
Kate, a member of the Iranian diaspora in Australia who requested anonymity for fear of repercussions for her family in Iran, articulated this dilemma. “If something happens to our family, we can’t live with ourselves. We can’t force [the players] to stay [in Australia]. Just give them the option,” she urged. Kate described the current Iranian regime as an “advanced cancer” that had been concealed for 47 years, adept at projecting a facade of normalcy to the international community.
FIFA and AFC Engaged in Player Safety Efforts
FIFPRO, the global representative body for professional footballers, has stated it has been unable to make direct contact with the players. However, both FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) are actively involved in addressing the situation. Beau Busch, president of FIFPRO Asia/Oceania, affirmed their commitment: “We’re here to support in any way we can and to make sure that we’re continuing to put the players’ interests first and making sure that their safety is everybody’s absolute priority right now. And we are satisfied that is the case at the moment, but we need to continue to work towards the best possible outcome.” Busch also confirmed FIFPRO’s liaison with the Australian government, advocating for the players’ agency. “There may be players that want to return. There may be some players within the group that would like to seek asylum, would like to stay in Australia for longer. There may be some that are incredibly concerned about the potential journey home,” he noted.
FIFA and the AFC have not yet responded to requests for comment. The ABC has also contacted the AFC regarding an incident raised by Masoud Zoohori concerning his treatment at a press conference following Iran’s match against the Matildas. It was during this match that the players had sung and saluted the anthem, a departure from their initial silence. Zoohori stated that the AFC had informed him prior to the press conference that he could “only ask about sports.” He contested this, asserting that as a journalist, he should not be dictated to about his line of questioning. He attempted to ask his question in Farsi, but, he reported, “They’re not soldiers, and AFC wouldn’t [let] me finish the question and took the microphone from me.”
Zoohori also revealed that Iranian state television had broadcasted a report the night before the press conference, suggesting that upon their return to Iran, the athletes would face a “war court,” formally known as an Islamic Revolutionary Court, for not singing the national anthem in their first match. He added, “And going to war court means they [could] face execution.”
