For Iranian women in Australia, watching the courageous decision faced by the team has felt personal. But seeking refuge comes with grief and uncertainty

When we watched the players of the Iranian women’s football team stand silently during the national anthem at the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia, it felt personal.

For many viewers, it was simply noted as a political gesture. But for Iranians watching around the world, that silence carried a message that was instantly understood. It felt like a handshake across distance, a quiet message delivered without slogans, without confrontation, without violence. A quiet signal between women who know what it means to live under a system where even the smallest act of autonomy can carry enormous consequences: disappearance, imprisonment or execution.

Now, the players face another form of pressure. Some will remain in Australia on temporary humanitarian visas. But that choice is not without cost. For many, staying abroad could mean continuous pressure on their families by the regime; it could mean never returning home as long as this regime remains in power, cutting them off from everything familiar – not just the streets of their cities, but the rhythms of family life.

For those who return, the burdens are no less heavy. They may have elderly parents to care for, relatives who depend on them financially, or loved ones whose lives are directly threatened by the Iranian regime. Every choice is fraught, every path dangerous. The players were described as “wartime traitors” by a state-linked commentator, who called for them to be “dealt with more severely”.