Tensions are high for Iran’s women’s soccer team after a 2-0 loss to the Philippines ended their Women’s Asian Cup campaign, and Australian protesters surrounded the team’s tour bus, raising fears for the players’ safety if they return home.

Around 50 demonstrators, some waving the Lion and Sun flag, blocked the bus as it left the stadium on the Gold Coast on Sunday night, and the incident highlighted growing concern that the women could face severe repercussions in Iran.

The Iranian Lion and Sun (Shir-o-Khorshid) flag, used before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has become a symbol of defiance against the current regime, and protesters displayed it to demand protection for the players and their families.

The women’s refusal to sing the Iranian national anthem earlier in the tournament sparked international attention.

And the backlash intensified fears that they could face jail, or even death, upon returning home, with relatives potentially at risk as well.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that Australia “stands in solidarity” with the Iranian women’s soccer team, and she called for urgent measures to ensure their safety while reaffirming Australia‘s responsibility as the tournament host nation.

Australia stands with Iran’s women team

Thousands of Australians signed petitions urging the government to act, warning that the players face an “impossible situation,” and stressing that any forced return could endanger their lives or the safety of their loved ones at home.

“These concerns are immediate and serious. In their opening match, members of the team reportedly remained silent during the Iranian national anthem,” the petition reads.

“Credible reporting has also raised concerns that regime-connected personnel are embedded with the delegation, that players are not allowed to move freely, and that their communications are restricted.

“Australia is hosting this tournament. That carries not only logistical responsibilities, but moral ones … These players should not be let to go back into danger because they displayed conscience, dignity, or fear in public view.”

Iran war latest: What we know as United States continue bombing Middle East

A week after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, the conflict continues to escalate, with over 1,332 reported deaths in Tehran.

Rising regional tensions affecting Gulf countries, airspace, and oil production across West Asia.

Several Gulf states, including Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE, reported incoming missiles and drones, and Qatar said its air defence intercepted nine of 10 drones.

Saudi Arabia also intercepted multiple threats near Riyadh as military systems were placed on high alert.

Disruptions to aviation forced Qatar Airways to operate special repatriation flights to European cities, and Kuwait began reducing oil field output due to storage shortages, reflecting the conflict’s widening economic and logistical consequences.

U.S President Donald Trump is reportedly considering deploying special forces to secure Iran‘s near-bomb-grade uranium stockpiles, and officials cited concern over the location of nuclear material, while regional security risks continue to mount.

Iran‘s military has warned it will target regional oil infrastructure if Israeli strikes continue, and after attacks hit storage facilities and fuel distribution sites, tensions are rising, increasing fears of wider escalation in an already volatile region.