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Tehran is demanding unity and projecting strength after the confirmed killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.<\/p>\n
But Iran’s women\u2019s national soccer team just chose silence during the anthem of the Islamic Republic.<\/p>\n
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The moment unfolded<\/a> Monday night at Cbus Super Stadium on Australia\u2019s Gold Coast during Iran\u2019s Asian Cup opener against South Korea.<\/p>\n When \u201cMehr-e Khavaran,\u201d adopted in 1990, played over the loudspeakers, the players stood in formation.<\/p>\n They did not sing.<\/p>\n A defying silence<\/p>\n The Iranian women\u2019s football national team REFUSED to sing the anthem of the Islamic regime.<\/p>\n Side note: By the time their next game comes up, they probably don\u2019t even have to wear those hijabs anymore. pic.twitter.com\/YrqJaYpnln<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Throwback Iran (@Tarikh_Eran) March 2, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Khamenei, who had ruled since 1989, was killed\u00a0<\/a>in confirmed U.S.-Israeli strikes over the weekend. Tehran has since launched counterattacks targeting Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, widening an already volatile regional conflict<\/a>.<\/p>\n Inside Iran, mixed reactions\u00a0<\/a>to the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei exposed deep fault lines in society, with some mourning in the streets and others celebrating, underscoring internal divisions as the regime struggles to maintain control. Authorities have signaled continuity of governance through an interim leadership council, and security forces remain visibly deployed across major cities, reflecting a heightened emphasis on stability amid both domestic unrest and external escalation.<\/p>\n
The regime is now navigating a leadership transition at the top while signaling defiance abroad and insisting on cohesion at home. That is not the kind of optics an unstable government welcomes.<\/p>\n In the days leading up to the match, even routine press engagements reflected how tightly the moment is being managed<\/a>.<\/p>\n The development came shortly after a question regarding the killing of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US air strikes was shut down by team management during a recent press conference.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Iran does not leave messaging to chance when national representatives are overseas. Athletes have faced scrutiny for far less than visible dissent, and female athletes operate under especially rigid religious and state oversight.<\/p>\n Inside the stadium, another image complicated the picture.<\/p>\n There was also a group of Iranian supporters at the game flying the pre-Islamic Revolutionary flag featuring<\/a> the golden lion and sun.<\/p>\n The anthem echoed. Opposition-era imagery appeared in the stands. The national team stood silent.<\/p>\n Read More<\/strong>: BREAKING: Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei Confirmed Dead<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n
New Reports: Gulf States Draw Line, More Countries Now Ready to Counter Iran With Force<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Iran ultimately lost<\/a> the match 3-0 to South Korea. But what unfolded before kickoff will travel further than the final score.<\/p>\n As Tehran projects retaliation and demands unity, its national team declined to publicly affirm allegiance to the Islamic Republic before a global audience.<\/p>\n In a regime built on enforced conformity, that is a statement, whether it was intended as one or not.<\/p>\n And it happened at the worst possible time for a government insisting everything is under control.<\/p>\n
Editor\u2019s Note:\u00a0<\/strong>Thanks to President Trump and his administration\u2019s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.<\/em><\/p>\n Please help us continue to report on the administration\u2019s peace through strength foreign policy and its successes. Join RedState and use promo code FIGHT<\/strong><\/a> to get 60% off your VIP membership.<\/em><\/p>\n
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