Councillor Warns of IRGC Infiltration Through Sports Delegation
An Iranian-born Sydney councillor has expressed grave concerns to a parliamentary committee that officials from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or individuals with links to the entity, may have entered Australia as part of a delegation accompanying Iran's national women's football team for next month's Women's Asian Cup. This warning comes as Iranian Australians, who have been subjected to Tehran's brutal transnational repression, are urgently pleading for increased protection from the Australian government.
Background on IRGC Terror Listing
The IRGC was officially designated as a state sponsor of terrorism by the Australian government in November 2025. This unprecedented move followed assessments by the Albanese government and ASIO that the state body had orchestrated attacks against Australia's Jewish community, including incidents at a Melbourne synagogue and Lewis' Continental Kitchen in Sydney in 2024. It marked the first time in history that a state entity was named as a terror group by an Australian administration.
While Iranian-Australian community groups have broadly welcomed the listing, providing evidence to a review hearing into the terrorist designation, some have described it as long overdue. The listing has sparked renewed discussions about the need for robust sanctions enforcement and legal frameworks to counter the IRGC's influence.
Testimonies of Intimidation and Surveillance
Independent Ryde councillor Tina Kordrostami, who testified at the hearing, stated that while Australians welcome the Iranian athletes, there are concerns that "individuals widely understood to be affiliated with or supportive of the IRGC may have landed in the country." She emphasized the need for greater focus on sanctions enforcement regarding the IRGC in Australia.
Kordrostami highlighted that people linked to the regime have become increasingly emboldened at public events, such as protests, noting, "Their tentacles are everywhere... there's a lot of surveillance happening within the community." She added that regime elements are active through media outlets and cultural events, fostering an environment of fear and self-censorship among diaspora members.
Community Voices and Personal Experiences
Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who was held hostage in Iran for over 800 days on trumped-up espionage charges, revealed to the committee that she was "implicitly threatened" in 2025 by a regime supporter. She observed that intimidation by regime forces in Australia often mirrors events inside Iran, rather than local incidents, and that the overall sentiment is one of increasing fear for safety.
Another community member, Parisa Glass, shared that she had been in Australia for nearly four decades but was too scared to speak out against the regime for the first 20 years. She described how symbols and flags of the regime at protests and in the community have been intimidating, leading many to self-censor due to fears for their safety and that of their families in Iran.
Incidents of Harassment and Government Response
Mohammad Sadeghpour, president of the Association to Defend Freedom and Human Rights in Iran, reported that anti-regime protesters have been harassed and intimidated during recent marches in Sydney. He disclosed that his wife's ribs were broken in 2024 during another protest, underscoring the physical risks faced by dissidents.
In response to these threats, the Albanese government took the unprecedented step of expelling Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi after intelligence agencies traced a series of antisemitic attacks in Australia back to the Revolutionary Guard through criminal intermediaries. Subsequently, laws were enacted to allow for the IRGC to be listed as a terrorist organization.
Sports Context and Ongoing Concerns
Iran is set to face Australia on the Gold Coast on March 5 in the Women's Asian Cup, with their tournament beginning on March 2 against Korea Republic. Kordrostami praised the courage of Iranian women athletes but claimed that some members of the team's accompanying delegation had been "affiliated" with the IRGC, creating what she described as "an impossible situation."
She revealed to The Sydney Morning Herald that some delegates of the Iranian women's national side may have been blocked from travelling to Australia, highlighting ongoing security measures. Kordrostami stressed that while Australia has taken important steps in recognizing the threat posed by the Iranian regime, recognition alone is insufficient. She called for legal frameworks to reflect the reality of how the IRGC operates today as a decentralized, adaptive network that infiltrates business, media, culture, and diaspora spaces.
As the Women's Asian Cup approaches, these warnings underscore the complex interplay between international sports, security, and the pervasive reach of state-sponsored terrorism, with community leaders urging vigilance and stronger protective measures for vulnerable diaspora members.
