Iran seize all assets of women’s football captain after she denied refuge in Australia to return

Ed Griffiths
Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:53:08 +0000

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.

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.

When the footballer travelled back to Iran, state media portrayed her decision as patriotic, with the official IRNA news agency describing her as "returning to the embrace of the homeland."

Iranian authorities had given assurances to the international community that neither Ghanbari nor her teammates would be penalised.

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The 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 ahead of a fixture with South Korea.

This wordless act of defiance prompted Iranian media to brand the team "wartime traitors."

One player reportedly received a voice message from her mother warning: "Don't come [back to Iran] they'll kill you."

A separate communication, smuggled out of Iran by a player's family, urged the squad: "You need to stay."

Australia offered the squad asylum amid fears they would face persecution upon returning home.

US President Donald Trump was among world leaders who intervened, warning the players "will most likely be killed" if permitted to go back to Iran.

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Ghanbari and six teammates initially accepted humanitarian visas from the Australian government, only to reverse their decisions within days.

Reports indicate threats directed at the players' families back in Iran influenced their choices.

Four additional squad members have since returned to their homelands, leaving only two players in Australia.

Those who stayed have joined Brisbane Roar, including Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh, who now call Australia home following the dramatic events surrounding the tournament.

The crackdown extends well beyond athletes, with the regime primarily targeting individuals connected to two Persian-language media organisations, Iran International and Manoto.

Both outlets gained significant audiences through their coverage of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests in 2023 and nationwide demonstrations earlier this year.

The Islamic Republic accused Iran International of links to Israel, though the London and Washington-based agency is owned by Volant Media and holds a UK broadcasting licence through Global Media.

Other prominent names on the list include actor Hamid Farokhnezhad, singers Ashkan Khatibi and Mazyar Fallahi, television presenter Parastoo Salehi, and former footballer Mohammad Ali Karimi.

Asset seizures encompass bank accounts alongside movable and immovable property, with occupants typically evicted from confiscated homes before properties are auctioned or repurposed by authorities.