Mojtaba Khamenei is officially Iran’s new supreme leader. But the struggle for power has a new wrinkle as some members of the Iranian women’s soccer team are staying in Australia after what’s been viewed by state media as protesting their country.
Members of the team stood silently while Iran’s national anthem played before a match last week in Australia, seen by Iran-run media as criticism of the government, according to the Australian Broadcasting Company.
Sara Sadri, who moved from Iran to Buffalo about 10 years ago, says the players took a significant risk by not singing the anthem.
“I'm happy they're safe, but … this just shows also, if (the) Islamic regime stays, what they will do to every single human being in there. I mean, they're threatening people.”
Five members have accepted visas to stay in Australia, while another two have since sought asylum, and others are expected to return home, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. President Donald Trump applauded the Australian prime minister for his decision and said that the U.S. would have accepted the players if Australia had not.
Military strikes by the U.S. and Israel are approaching two weeks, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Tuesday would be the most intense attacks yet.
The U.S. has a history with intervention that does not end well, but part of what separates the current operation is the lack of physical presence by American military members, said Sara’s brother, Ashkan Sadri.
“Physically invading the country by land is also a big difference. In Iran, you don't see U.S. troops inside of Iran," he said. "I feel like United States, kind of, wants to do this from afar and weaken the government and then, maybe, leave it to the people.”
The conflict in Iran also is different than previous situations like Afghanistan or Vietnam because many Iranians want U.S. intervention if it means removing the current regime, Ashkan added.
"These strikes are weakening the government, and Iranian people are waiting for an opportunity to restart the protests come back in the street, and they have to take control," he said. "They can't really do that unless there is a guarantee that they will not be attacked by military grade bullets again."
