Tipsheet

Here's Why the Iranian Women's Soccer Captain Withdrew Her Asylum Bid

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  March 16, 2026 9:00 AM

Earlier this month, the world was imploring Australia to protect members of the Iranian women's soccer team, after the women faced threats for refusing to sing Iran's national anthem during the Asian Cup, which was held in Australia. President Trump even offered asylum if Australia didn't.

Seven of the women's soccer players decided to seek asylum, something that made their Islamic handlers very angry. But now it seems some of those women are withdrawing their asylum claims because the Iranian regime has targeted their families.

This includes 34-year-old captain Zahra Ghanbari, because her family is now missing in Iran.

Here's more:

The captain of Iran’s women’s soccer team has withdrawn her bid for asylum in Australia, making her the latest member to do so as fears grow that the players’ families are in danger if they don’t return home.

Zahra Ghanbari, 34, is “returning to the embrace of the homeland” after withdrawing her asylum bid Sunday, Iran’s IRNA news agency reported.

Shiva Amini, an exiled Iranian former soccer player, claimed the players chose to go home following “intense and systemic pressure on the players’ families” from Iran’s Football Federation.  

“Several of the players decided to go back because the threats against their families became unbearable and the intimidation was relentless,” she wrote on X on Sunday.

Where are the feminists? That sound you hear is crickets.

They're also silent. And it's deafening.

All of these people are fine with how women are treated in Iran.

We can only imagine the horrors these women and their families will face.

All of the people who are okay with this will also tell you how Republicans harm women.

Yes, they do.

Here's the dirty little not-so-secret we all must realize: the U.N., and the Left, are fine with how Iranian women are treated. Because they are willing and eager to capitulate to Islam. That means they will allow Islam to do whatever it wants to women in Iran, the U.K., the U.S. and anywhere else.