A demonstration is being organised outside of Gold Coast Stadium by Iranians wanting to draw attention to the oppressive nature of the regime ahead of Thursday’s group-stage match against the Matildas.
Iranian Diaspora Protests Regime at Australia Match
Members of an Iranian fan group who had gathered near the halfway line began to unfurl red, white and green flags as Iran’s national anthem began to trumpet around Gold Coast Stadium on Monday night.
“The flag is the Lion and Sun flag: our last known flag before the Islamic regime took over in 1979 and invented the new flag,” says Ara Rasuli, who was in the crowd.
“It is our national flag. The current regime does not represent us, and therefore their flag does not represent us. It doesn’t represent Iran.”
The fans knew they would probably be caught when waving them in the stands at Iran’s opening game against South Korea, but they also knew how much it meant, especially for the players standing silently on the pitch below them, defiantly refusing to sing.
Concerns Raised Over Restrictions on Iranian Players
Since arriving in Australia against a backdrop of violence and terror back home, Iran’s players have been wrapped in a cone of silence.
Requests for media interviews have been shut down and information about their open training sessions were removed from the official tournament schedule. Even mandatory press conferences have been cagey, with an AFC media officer allowing just three “football” questions in each of the team’s pre-match appearances.
Their silence is understandable given the very real and imminent threats reportedly faced by players and staff who speak out against the regime. In the vacuum of their silence, it has been the Iranian diaspora – the fans – who are speaking out.
Human Rights Activist Highlights Oppression
“These women are prisoners,” says Cyrus Jones, a human rights activist who will be attending the match against Australia. “Iranian security is up on their floor [of the hotel] at night. They can’t leave their rooms. They can’t use the public bathrooms. They’re monitored when they go for breakfast, when they get on the bus. They’re monitored in a way no other players from other teams are.
“This is happening on Australia’s watch. I want to put a mirror up to our government and the AFC and Local Organising Committee. They have no clue. The Matildas can walk around just fine, do whatever they want. The Iranian players can’t. It’s like they’ve put regime rules into the hotel and the stadium. They don’t have any freedom.
“We can’t say we’re promoting the women’s game while we’re watching oppression happen in our own country, in a tournament that we’re hosting and promoting and making money from.”
The players’ only power has been refusal, with footage of their silence duri