Defiant silence: Iran women’s team refuses anthem days after Khamenei’s death

As the anthem of the Islamic Republic played over the stadium speakers, the players stood in silence. Team manager Marziyeh Jafari was seen smiling on the sidelines during the moment.

The silent protest comes amid political upheaval in Iran following the reported killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli strike over the weekend.

Though team captain Zahra Ghanbari and Jafari were questioned about the gesture after the match, a media representative declined to translate Ghanbari’s response.

US and Israeli officials have described the strikes as part of a broader campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s ruling establishment and weakening its military and nuclear command structure.

Khamenei, who succeeded Ruhollah Khomeini after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, had served as Iran’s most powerful political and religious authority for more than three decades, shaping both domestic governance and Tehran’s confrontational stance toward the West.

His reported killing has plunged the country into political uncertainty, deepening instability across the Middle East and heightening fears of a wider regional conflict.

In retaliation, Iran launched a barrage of missiles and armed drones targeting several US military bases and key energy infrastructure across the region.