It was a stunning and incredibly brave move. Just two days after the Ayatollah was killed, the Iranian women’s football team stood silent as the Iran National Anthem was played. And then their rabid radical government declared those brave women are traitors.

Australia must protect the visiting Iranian women’s soccer team, the son of the nation’s late shah urged Monday, warning their refusal to sing the national anthem before a match could have “dire consequences.”

Iranian players refused to sing ahead of an Asian Cup tournament match in Australia last week — a gesture widely seen as an act of defiance against the Islamic Republic.

US-based Reza Pahlavi lent his voice to a growing chorus calling for Australia to offer the women asylum, joining politicians, human rights activists, and even “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling.

And then, they sang the anthem at the next two matches. You know what that tells me? They were coerced into singing. Keep in mind, the team is traveling with Iranian government handlers who are monitoring their every move and reporting back to the authorities. Needless to say, it wasn’t a surprise that the team then reluctantly sang the national anthem at the next two matches. 

They know their lives are in danger. They know that taking even the smallest step for freedom means harsh punishment such as floggings, or death from the rabid clerics that have run Iran for the last 47 years. But they did so anyway. 

If my own daughters were among these girls I wouldn't hesitate to urge them to stay where they were safe, no matter the consequences to me.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 8, 2026

And, now knowing that Mojtaba is the new Supreme Leader is of even greater concern. By most accounts, he’s even more hard line than his father was. 

It’s Iran. The fears of execution are extremely valid. Five players have already left the team and asked for asylum. 

Announcement: Prince Reza Pahlavi’s office has been informed that five players from the Iranian women's national football team: Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh, and Mona Hamoudi, have left the team’s training camp and successfully sought… https://t.co/PdBPRlJxjU

— Reza Pahlavi Communications (@PahlaviComms) March 9, 2026

Whether the women recant or not, the team is in danger due to their choosing not to sing the anthem. We’ve documented here several times the brave women who’ve thrown off their hijabs in defiance of the clerics, and suffered greatly as a result. 

Yesterday was International Women’s Day. Yet not one single so-called feminist has stood up for these women. Asylum groups and certain women’s rights groups, along with ex-pat Iranians however, are strongly advocating for their safety and asylum in Australia. 

Rana Dadpour, the founder of Australian women’s rights group AUSIRAN, said government officials should organise private meetings with the team members before they leave the country, warning they could face execution if they return home.

‘We need to talk with these girls away from the handlers and the regime-affiliated people who are following them right now in Australia,’ she said.

‘If they want to stay, I think we need to provide them with every support that we can.’

While government officials have been reluctant to discuss the team’s plight, fearing the publicity could put the women and their families at further risk, Ms Dadpour said global pressure was often effective on the Iranian regime.

‘We’ve had many cases of execution orders that have been previously delayed or stopped only because of the international pressure and media attention,’ she said.

President Trump has now weighed in on the matter. 

https://t.co/aMgVjVIbU4 pic.twitter.com/qjNoetFXIx

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 9, 2026

Can you imagine the choices these women are having make? Seek asylum and leave their entire families behind. All while knowing Iran’s terrorist government might wipe out their loved ones in retaliation. Or, choose to go back to a country where punishment for breaking the cleric laws is likely. It’s a helluva situation to be in for sure. 

What I do know is this, it took immense courage for that entire team to stay silent during the Iranian national anthem. They did so knowing full well the ramifications of what they would and are facing. 

These wome are the embodiment of what International Women’s Day is about. 

I applaud their courage and pray for the team and their families. 

Feature Photo Credit: Photo of five brave Iranian women soccer players via Reza Pahlavi Comms on X, cropped and modified