Iran players sing final anthem before bowing out of Women’s Asian Cup

SYDNEY: The Iran soccer team sang and saluted their national anthem ahead of their final Women’s Asian Cup match against the Philippines on Sunday, six days after their decision to remain silent saw them labelled “wartime traitors” on state TV back home.

The Iranians, whose situation has become a cause celebre among human rights campaigners in Australia, will play no further part in the tournament after a 2-0 loss to the Philippines at Gold Coast Stadium in the state of Queensland. Their campaign in Australia started last weekend just as the US and Israel launched air strikes on their homeland, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.