Iran seizes assets of women’s football captain
The Iranian government has confiscated all assets belonging to Zahra Ghanbari, captain of the national women’s football team, despite previously guaranteeing she would not face repercussions for returning home, reports BritPanorama.
Ghanbari, who has earned 22 caps for her country, was among 400 Iranian citizens placed on an official “supporters of the enemy” list by the Islamic Republic this weekend.
This asset seizure directly contradicts those pledges. The controversy stems from events at the Asia Cup in late February when Iran’s women’s squad arrived in Australia shortly before US and Israeli military strikes killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. On March 2, the players stood in silence as their national anthem played before a fixture with South Korea, prompting Iranian media to label the team “wartime traitors.”
The Iranian authorities had previously assured the international community that neither Ghanbari nor her teammates would be penalised for their actions during the tournament. Nevertheless, one player reportedly received a voice message from her mother warning, “Don’t come [back to Iran] they’ll kill you,” while a separate communication smuggled out of Iran urged the squad: “You need to stay.”
Australia offered the squad asylum amid fears of persecution upon returning home, with US President Donald Trump warning that the players “will most likely be killed” if permitted to go back to Iran. Ghanbari and six teammates initially accepted humanitarian visas from the Australian government, only to reverse their decisions within days reportedly due to threats directed at their families in Iran. Four additional squad members have since returned to their homelands, leaving only two players in Australia who have joined Brisbane Roar.
The crackdown on those returning transcends athletes, with the regime primarily targeting individuals connected to two Persian-language media organizations, Iran International and Manoto, which gained significant audiences through their coverage of protests in 2023. The Islamic Republic accused Iran International of links to Israel, while other prominent figures included on the list span various fields, highlighting the expansive nature of the regime’s repressive measures. As asset seizures encompass bank accounts and property, the long-term implications for dissenters and their families remain stark.
