Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 03:03am on 04 Mar 2026,Wednesday Sports
The Iran women’s national football team remained silent during their national anthem before their AFC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 opener against South Korea in Gold Coast, Australia, amid heightened tensions following US strikes that killed former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini. While no official statement was issued, the gesture was widely viewed as a possible protest against the Islamic regime. Reports said some fans waved pre-Islamic regime flags in the stands. Head coach Marziyeh Jafari also declined to comment and stood silent during the anthem. On the field, Iran suffered a 0-3 defeat to South Korea, with goals from Choe Yu-ri, Kim Hye-ri and Ko Yoo-jin.
