Iran women's football team remains silent during national anthem at Asian Cup

Iran's national women's football team remained silent during the national anthem before their opening match of the AFC Women's Asian Cup on Tuesday at Gold Coast Stadium in Queensland, Australia.

All eleven starting players stood motionless with fixed gazes and sealed lips as the stadium speakers broadcast the national anthem, which celebrates the Islamic Revolution. The team faced South Korea in a Group A fixture, which South Korea won 3-0.

According to reporting by The Guardian, each member of the squad remained silent and looked straight ahead during the anthem before the start of play. The Iranian team's coach, Marziyeh Jafari, and her players declined to comment on the war and the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Iranian squad had arrived in Australia several days before aerial attacks began in the Middle East. The team is scheduled to face Australia on Thursday and the Philippines on Sunday.

Australian midfielder Amy Sayer praised the Iranian players for their presence and performance. "Our heart goes to them and their families," Sayer said. "It's a difficult situation and it's really brave of them to be able to be here and perform."

The decision to remain silent during the anthem represented a deliberate act of disobedience. According to reporting, the athletes had been given explicit orders to sing in order to avoid embarrassing authorities at a time of national mourning and international conflict.