URGENT Iranian women's football team

[ProfessorBinturong]

After refusing to sing the national anthem they have been declared 'war traitors'. If they return to Iran they will be severely punished, probably executed.

They signalled for help from their tour bus and protesters tried to prevent it leaving the stadium, but Australian security intervened to allow it through.

They're currently in a hotel waiting to be taken back home. Please sign this NOW to ask Australia to to give them.asylum. At the moment the government is insisting they apply for asylum individually, which is impossible while they are being held by their Iranian handlers.

x.com/i/status/2030781831537451013

Delighted that these five woman have been granted asylum but also concerned about possible consequences for their family back home and the handlers who may be punished or worse.

I read an article that the majority of the team are male. So I'm not in favour of males playing as females. However, I do hope those people are safe.

In short:

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has confirmed seven members of the Iranian football team delegation have been granted protection visas, while the remaining members chose to depart Australia after being individually offered refuge.

The plight of the women's team has made worldwide news, after some players refused to sing the Iranian national anthem before a televised football match in Australia.

What's next?

Supporters of the group hold grave fears for the returning women's safety, as war continues in Iran.

Full article at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-11/government-confirms-seven-visas-iranian-football-team/106439840

(time on article is 11:30pm 10 March UK time - so may be out of date by wednesday 11

They do wear leggings and even tight jeans. However the manteau (long coat/shirt) needs to cover the abdomen and top of the thighs. Even hair wisps appearing from under the hijab/scarf/hat is allowable and common. And colour! Lots of colour.

Rules for men are often forgotten in this discussion. They must wear hats in public and long trousers.

The latest update from the ABC. One of the players who originally sought protection has returned. However, of course the Iranian govt has said the Australians were pressuring the players and the support team.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has confirmed one of the members of the Iranian women's football team delegation granted asylum in Australia has asked to be returned to Iran.

He said one of the two who made the decision to stay in Brisbane before the team left to go to Sydney changed their mind, and he was notified shortly after 10am

And

The president of Iran's football federation said Australia pressured members of the women's soccer team into seeking asylum.

Speaking to state TV, MehdiTaj, who is aligned with the Iranian regime, said that when the team tried to leave the country, police intervened on the orders of the prime minister.

He expressed concern over men and women being separated at airport security, saying that the women were more vulnerable and had less experience with political pressures.

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-11/government-confirms-seven-visas-iranian-football-team/106439840?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link

I am not sure where this info is from, but I googled and I found a lot of of videos which are shot of the streets of Iran and home videos from Iran which show a different situation from the one you describe. Is it possible that what you are saying is out of date? One of the videos I saw was of young people going out in mixed groups, and they said that a lot had changed there in the last 10 years. I realise that this goes against what we are told in the media though.

This is an example:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YHWa8fQPHcs

There have been reports that there are (cant remember their actual name) but the (quite often women) who policed the streets.

But I think this is quite recent. But still doesn't mean, when wanting to make a point about their authority, that the authorities dont clamp down, or when convenient use it to target individuals.

So I dont think in any way a change in attitude, but more how it is implemented.

The following is AI generated, and given the current bombardments, unknown (or rather unseen) new leader, who knows what will happen in the future. Both US and Israel have implied they are creating a situation that will mean the "people" can change how the country is governed. And even if that is true, how strong will women's voices be in that.

AI overview:

Based on reports from late 2024 and 2025, the situation regarding modesty laws in Iran is a complex mix of widespread social defiance and a shifting, often contradictory, state crackdown. While the mandatory hijab law remains in place and has not been formally abolished, enforcement has become inconsistent, with many women in major cities openly flouting the rules
.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the recent situation:

1. Increased Defiance and Reduced Daily Enforcement (2024-2025)

• Widespread Non-Compliance: Since the 2022 protests following Mahsa Amini's death, many women—particularly younger generations—have continued to appear in public without a headscarf, a trend described as a "permanent, daily act of resistance".
• "Invisible" Enforcement: While the morality police have returned to the streets, their methods have shifted, with some reports indicating they have been, at times, less direct in confronting women on the street in certain areas of Tehran.
• Political Rhetoric: In late 2024, President Masoud Pezeshkian pledged that the morality police would not "bother" women, although this was met with resistance from hardline factions and the Supreme Leader.

2. Intensified "Underground" Enforcement (2025)

• Business Closures: The state has moved to enforce hijab laws by targeting businesses, cafes, and restaurants that serve women who are not wearing a headscarf.
• Smart Surveillance: Authorities are using facial recognition cameras and advanced surveillance to identify women in public places and vehicles who are not wearing the hijab.
• Stricter Legal Penalties: A new "Hijab and Chastity" law has been discussed that would introduce harsher punishments, including heavy fines, longer prison sentences, and potential travel bans, although its full implementation has been delayed by fear of triggering new protests.

3. Regional Variation

• Defiance is highest in metropolitan areas like Tehran, while enforcement remains more stringent in smaller cities, towns, and more conservative regions.

Summary
While it is true that many women in Iran are appearing in public without veils more than at any point since 1979, this does not mean the government has legalized this behavior. It is a "battle of attrition" where the state has adopted new, technological, and economic methods of enforcement to counter the, so far, unstoppable social

It's a very muddled situation to say the least....one of them changed their mind about staying and gave away the location to the Iran embassy of where they were staying. It is all very precarious, I'd imagine that their families will be at risk if they don't return.

I find that when I use AI, you can get decent information about something fact based but anything judgement based is going to be a mishmash as they take their intelligence from what they see online - so, online material written by people who want a regime change will talk about strict laws, whereas online material written by people who don't want regime change will include information about how members of the government are sometimes not 100 in accord with the supreme leader but still working alongside them in a functional way.

There are so many videos online which show a more relaxed social situation and with people talking about increasingly more relaxed social situation. Yet the media here represents Iran as though it is still 1979 and the AK is in charge.

It is interesting watching videos made by western people who have married Iranians too

There are so many videos online which show a more relaxed social situation and with people talking about increasingly more relaxed social situation. Yet the media here represents Iran as though it is still 1979 and the AK is in charge.

Yes there are but even the AI summary pointed out that this isn't because of a change in the attitudes of those with power. But that for what ever reason they are not currently imposing a dress code on women. Well not in the cities. But many women in remoter parts have their own families who hold with the dress code.

So should the regime change women's rights might change (but as we know "liberal" men aren't always liberal about women's rights) or the old regime survives and may as part of re-establishing their legitimacy impose stricter adherance as they have.

All AI did is do a round up of what is being shown on the internet.

More dubious are those who have no real knowledge of the situation because they dont live there, saying a 2 minute clip of a woman in western dress somehow symbolises that the Islamic regime is about to be over thrown by women.

Interestingly in the weeks prior to the Israeli bombardment both of the main stream Israeli papers had articles about how the symbolism of what appeared to be more women wearing western dress was definitely a sign that the grasp of the old regime was about to be over thrown.

Its the source and the motive of those who post such clips totally without context that you need to worry about. Not AI. AI just compiles, and in fact since google etc. monetised its search function ie its results are not accurate but prioritised to promote results that bring in revenue, many people now use AI as a search function.

Some of the street walk clips and family videos say that they are trying to counter misinformation about what day to day life there is like.

I agree with you in relation to other points, but in relation to AI actually I think google searches are still far better as although they are sometimes monetised you get to see and assess the source for the different bits of information. AI isn't nearly good enough to do this, and removes the critical thought stage of individuals, not to mention the fact that some professions are getting inundated with clients telling them what they think should happen based on AI searches, which is maddening.

Sorry though, this is off topic.

I would treat AI generated content with caution.

https://www.thetimes.com/article/066c4210-7e0e-4910-8959-9162dcbd1353?shareToken=0959f33f7cb21cef6f85089f5c25afc2

A network of Iranian-controlled accounts on social media claiming to be British or Irish has been posting pro-Tehran propaganda and fake AI-generated news, experts have found.

The network is part of a wider disinformation campaign being waged by Tehran across social networks using AI tools to spread fake news. It was uncovered by researchers at Clemson University’s Media Forensic Hub.

What you are seeing is resistence not liberalism.

Iran pauses controversial new dress code law - BBC News https://share.google/WgHRTubClWdnUAky7

However, supporters of the legislation have pressured the president to move forward, criticising the National Security Council's hesitation and demanding that he sign the law to clear the path for its enforcement.

The decision to pause its implementation suggests the government fears it could trigger another wave of mass protests, like those seen two years ago.

So now after years of everyone saying what a shit show the BBC is, we should believe them?

I dont think any one other than someone living there can say what is going on.

And, sadly, given the current situation any of this, whether fake, or curated, or whatever is going to be relevant.

Try the UN then.
Iran: UN experts call for Hijab and Chastity law to be repealed | OHCHR https://share.google/D56ExEV3FZ59J5sxE

We call upon the Government of Iran to immediately repeal the Hijab and Chastity Law and all other discriminatory legislation that perpetuates gender-based persecution,” the experts said. The experts are in contact with the Government on this matter.

Something a bit odd about this story IMO.

But hadn't realised the remaining members of the team have only gone as as Malaysia.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-13/iranian-football-players-fears-grow/106446824

There are currently only two of the seven who sought visas still in Australia. And the entire team is still in Malaysia.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-15/three-members-of-iran-women-s-football-team-return-home/106456754?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link

“Three members of Iran's women's football team have decided to return to Iran after being granted humanitarian visas.

Players Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Sarbali and a team support staff member left Australia last night for Kuala Lumpur where they met up with other team members who are returning to Tehran.

In a statement, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says they were given repeated opportunities to discuss their options, but the players have chosen to rejoin their team and return to Iran.”

Here is Tracey Holmes’ video about some of the information coming from Iran news services about it.

x.com/traceyleeholmes/status/2032874691606794425?s=46

That is chilling.

There are now claims that the woman who was part of the team support who sought asylum with the team was only there to convince as many of the team to go back to Iran. I wonder if we will ever know the full story.

Staffer ‘convinced Iranian soccer players to abandon Australian asylum’

Members of Australia’s Iranian community believe Iran used a support member of the Women’s Football team to convince the players who sought asylum in Australia to return home.

Iranian diaspora member Tina Kordrostami believes the team’s technical staff member, Zahra Meshkinkar, who was one of the late defectors from the national team, had stayed in Australia as a mouthpiece for the regime.

Here is the archive version

archive.is/uIylU

Here is the direct link

www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/three-asylumseeking-iranian-soccer-players-choose-to-return-to-iran/news-story/41f5b800fc1bd0cc7ac5ec154c79fb79

Sorry. That is three footballers remain now. I misread.

The captain has now left Australia too.

A fifth member of the Iranian women's football team has withdrawn their claim of asylum and left the country overnight, the federal government has confirmed.

Seven team members, including a player handler, were granted humanitarian visas by the Australian government last week while they were here for the Asian Cup tournament.

Local Iranian diaspora members campaigning for the women to stay claim the staff member granted asylum was passing on threats from the Iranian regime.

Government sources say they have looked into those claims and have no reason to believe them.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-16/fifth-member-of-iranian-womens-soccer-team-leaves-australia/106458492?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link

A bit of good news: one of the Australian teams has given the Iranian players the opportunity to keep training. https://x.com/i/status/2033479104385937685

Slight change of kit. And a rather marked on in facial expression.

Iranian women's football team begin journey home after five withdraw asylum claims in Australia
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-17/iran-football-players-head-home/106462470