Iran calls for barring Israel from Olympics ignoring own crisis with athletes
While Iran calls to ban Israel from the Olympic Games over the war in Gaza, 14 Iranian athletes will compete under the Olympic Committee's Refugee Team.
While Iran calls to ban Israel from the Olympic Games over the war in Gaza, 14 Iranian athletes will compete under the Olympic Committee's Refugee Team.
“Iran condemns the reception and protection of Israeli athletes at the Olympic Games in Paris, demanding their exclusion over Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Announcing the reception and protection of the apartheid terrorist Zionist regime’s delegation means giving legitimacy to the child killers,” Iran’s foreign ministry stated in a post on X on Tuesday.
The foreign ministry statement said Israel does "not deserve to be present at the Paris Olympics because of the war against the innocent people of Gaza,” calling on organizers to ban Iran's archenemy.
On Thursday, Israel's foreign minister warned his French counterpart of a potential Iranian-backed plot to target Israeli athletes and tourists during the Paris Olympic Games.
"We currently have assessments regarding the potential threat posed by Iranian terrorist proxies and other terrorist organisations who aim to carry out attacks against members of the Israeli delegation and Israeli tourists during the Olympics," Israel Katz told Stephane Sejourne.
Katz did not detail any specific intelligence or threat against the Games.
On July 26, the flags of 206 countries will be paraded by athletes at the opening ceremony in the Stade de France, including Iran. The Refugee Team, bearing the flag of the International Olympic Committee, will be represented by 14 Iranians who have fled the country. The team has 37 athletes from 11 countries. They will represent sports such as taekwondo, canoe slalom, badminton and wrestling.
The numbers of athletes fleeing Iran have continued to spiral since the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom uprising and after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody with athletes publicly taking the stage to oppose the government's oppression. Men and women from a range of sports have sought a life in exile, meaning competing under other flags.
Badminton player Dorsa Yavarifar, one of the youngest athletes on the Refugee Team, left Iran in 2018, just 15 at the time. Along with her mother, they left Tehran for Turkey using fake German passports.
She told Reuters she had been consistently rejected by the national badminton team without any given reason.
Shirin Shirzad, the former caretaker of Iran’s Women National Wrestling Team, told Iran International: “More than any other ministry in Iran, we witness mismanagement in the Sports Ministry, and that’s why many Iranian athletes whose big wish is to win medals in the Olympics or world competitions are leaving the country in clusters."
She said the federations lack experienced managers to help cultivate talent on the global stage. "An athlete sacrifices all his or her life to win a medal and when they see their efforts do not result in any advancement in personal life, they are forced to choose a better place to live," she added.
"I was really scared because I didn't know what was going to happen to me," said Yavarifar, who recently turned 21.
"I didn't know where I was going. My mum just said we were going to go to another country, but she never told me how or where," she noted. "It was all worth it. Now, that I think back about it—all that suffering is over, so I'm really happy now."
She is studying sports and exercise science at Middlesex University in London and trains three times a week at the Sankey Academy, an independent badminton club in Milton Keynes.
Saeedeh Fat’hi, an Iranian journalist, also told Iran International that sport is not a priority for Iranian officials who "want to misuse the achievements of the athletes to export the ideology of the Islamic Republic to other countries".
"When the Supreme Leader expresses gratitude to the woman who bore the flag of Iran wearing Hijab or the one who refused to shake hands with men in competitions, it shows how the Iranian government’s view of sports is,” she stressed.
Among the other Iranian athletes on the Refugee Team are Omid Ahmadi-Safa, a boxer who sought asylum in Germany and will compete in the 51 kg boxing category. Amir Rezanejad and Saeed Fazlouli, both refugees in Germany, along with Saman Soltani, a refugee in Austria, will represent Iranian rowing at the Paris Olympics.
Additionally, Mohammad Rashnonejad, a refugee in the Netherlands, and Mahboubeh Barbari Zharfi, a refugee in Germany, are the two Iranian judo athletes on the judo squad.
The Iranian national taekwondo team has four representatives in the Olympics, while the refugee taekwondo team includes three Iranians, making it likely they may come up against former team mates.
The wave of defections follows at least 30 Iranian athletes seeking asylum in recent years, escaping not only political repression in Iran but also specific challenges within the sports sector.
Athletes have cited issues such as corruption within sports federations, the enforced policy of not competing against Israeli athletes, and for women, the mandatory wearing of the hijab during competitions.
The Islamic Republic’s prohibition against its Olympic athletes competing against Israelis originates from its longstanding enmity toward the country since 1979.
Athletes are often pressured by government-controlled sports federation officials to intentionally lose matches or forfeit. Others, like judoka Leila Hosseini, have been told to cite injuries to avoid competing against Israeli opponents. For Hosseini, it cost her a gold medal in Tbilisi.
This year marks the third appearance of the refugee team in the Olympic Games, which began with a small team of 10 athletes in the 2016 Rio Olympics, growing to 29 in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and now reaching 37 athletes in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
War-torn Syria and Afghanistan each have five athletes, sharing the second place after Iran. This means that each of these two countries, whose people are under the pressure of the Taliban and Bashar al-Assad, have about one-third of Iran's share in the Refugee Team. While Iran condemns the inclusion of Israeli athletes, it remains silent on the plight of its own refugees.
Prominent theater and cinema actor Reza Kianian was among the most vocal to chime in critically on Pezeshkian's dress code.
“I’d like to request you to wear a light summer suit jacket instead of that casual jacket,” Kianian said in an Instagram post addressed to the President on Sunday.
Since then, domestic Iranian news websites and social media users have extensively shared and republished the post.
Referring to former populist President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Kianian remarked that Iranians do not have “good memories” of the casual zip-up jacket (Kapshan in Persian) often associated with Ahmadinejad.
The jacket, which was a way to visually symbolize his anti-Western and anti-Israeli stance, remains a lasting image in many Iranians' minds.
“You must visit New York in a few months [to attend the UN General Assembly meeting]. What you wear is very important,” Kianian told Pezeshkian in his post, offered advice on clothing, socks, and shoes, and even recommended “a proper haircut”. “Let Iran be pictured befittingly [by foreign media at the event].”
Among the over 5,000 Instagram users who commented on Kianian’s post, many dismissively stated that Pezeshkian's style was inconsequential, arguing that more pressing issues deserved his attention.
Others agreed with Kianian, asserting that the new president should adhere to international dress protocols, at least while representing the country on the global stage.
Some of Pezeshkian's supporters on social media have argued that focusing on his attire at the UNGA meeting is irrelevant. They point out that Arab leaders, as well as Indians, Malaysians, and others, often wear traditional robes and flip-flops at such events. They contend that what truly matters is what Pezeshkian has to offer the world.
Pezeshkian, a heart surgeon and lawmaker who was relatively unknown to many Iranians before the snap elections following former President Ebrahim Raisi's death in a helicopter crash in May, has occasionally mentioned that he finds it challenging to adhere to the strict protocols required of the president. He has also expressed that he would like to continue living like an "ordinary Iranian" and to be true to himself.
Social media posts and media articles dating back to August 2016, when Pezeshkian was the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, criticized his disregard for diplomatic dress codes and norms during the inauguration ceremony of President Hassan Rouhani, particularly in how he welcomed foreign delegations.
“Not observing official protocols, sneaking into Parliament unannounced [on Saturday], shopping at your local grocery store, and wearing a jacket in the middle of the summer is not a sign of being a man of the people and a revolutionary. It is a sign that you are another version of Ahmadinejad,” another critic posted on X.
Ahmadinejad, whose supporters took his badly worn zip-up jackets and windbreakers as a sign that he was “a man of the people,” began wearing formal suits regularly after a few years.
In recent years, the former President has undergone several superficial changes alongside his supposed shifts in worldview. Ahmadinejad has reportedly undergone cosmetic procedures to reduce the deep wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, aiming to project a new image that appeals to fashion-conscious middle-class Iranians.
Following the Islamic Revolution of 1979, wearing ties became a symbol of Western cultural adherence, which young revolutionaries like Pezeshkian strongly denounced as 'un-Islamic.' Consequently, an unofficial ban was imposed on selling and wearing ties.
Subsequently, wearing a tie became a subliminal statement of opposition to the clerical regime among professional Iranians, including doctors, lawyers, and wealthy businessmen.
The male revolutionaries also disapproved of wearing collared shirts. In response, the Iranian foreign ministry designed collarless shirts for its diplomats, resembling the garments clerics wear under their robes.
Some diplomats, such as former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, style these mandatory collarless shirts with expensive cufflinks.
Fashion awareness appears to be important among clerics, too.
The former "reformist" President Mohammad Khatami, frequently dubbed “the man in the chocolate-brown robe” by Iranian media for one of his robes, was often praised for his “impeccable style.” The "moderate" former President Hassan Rouhani was known for wearing robes reportedly made from expensive Italian fabrics.
“All countries that are at peace with Israel and all those countries who will make peace with Israel should be invited to join this alliance,” Netanyahu said in a joint meeting of US Congress Wednesday afternoon. “We saw a glimpse of that potential alliance on April 14th. Led by the United States, more than half a dozen nations worked alongside Israel to help neutralize hundreds of missiles and drones launched by Iran against us.”
This was Netanyahu’s first address after the Hamas attack on October 7 and Israel’s retaliatory onslaught on Gaza, which has brought Tehran and Tel Aviv ever closer to an all-out war, with both countries targeting the other’s territory for the first time ever.
“For Iran, Israel is first, America is next,” Netanyahu said, “so when Israel fights Hamas, we're fighting Iran. When we fight Hezbollah, we're fighting Iran. When we fight the Houthis, we're fighting Iran. And when we fight Iran, we're fighting the most radical and murderous enemy of the United States of America.”
Netanyahu’s address was met by immediate reaction from Palestinian groups and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, whose official X account posted in Hebrew as the Israeli prime minister delivered his speech to the US Congress, taunting both countries for ‘failing’ to defeat Hamas.
“The Resistance’s strength is more and more evident by the day,” the post on X read. “A huge system like the US, in all military, political and economic dimensions, stands behind the Zionists in the fight against Hamas, but they’ve been unable to bring it to its knees.”
In his hour-long address, Netanyahu seemed to be attempting to convince the US lawmakers and an increasingly doubtful American public that the conflicts in the Middle East, and the war on Gaza, in particular, were a war of good against evil, and that Israel was the only thing standing in the way of Iran “conquering” the region.
Many of those present in the Congress cheered Netanyahu, showing their support with standing ovations, as has become customary in these addresses. More notable than the support, however, was the absence of dozens of Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who leads the race to become her party’s nominee for 2024 presidential election in November.
Netanyahu’s address to the US Congress this year was more contentious than ever, due to the ongoing war on Gaza, which has killed almost 40,000 civilians, according to the health ministry in Gaza. Thousands gathered near the Capitol building in Washington DC in protest against Israel’s prime minister.
The protests were not left unnoticed by Netanyahu. Quoting the US director of national intelligence, he said the anti-Israel protests in the US are funded by Iran. “I have a message for these protesters,” he said, “when the tyrants of Tehran who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair are praising and promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran's useful idiots.”
Earlier this month, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines issued a warning that actors tied to Iran's government had posed as activists online, encouraged protests regarding the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, and even provided demonstrators with financial support.
In unveiling his new strategy against Iran and Hamas, amid the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Netanyahu said that Israel’s defeat of Hamas, would be a powerful blow to Iran’s axis of terror.
“Our fight is your fight. Our enemies are your enemies, and our victory will be your victory,” he said.
Referencing Iran's numerous proxies in the region, the Israeli leader framed the situation as a clash between "barbarism and civilization," emphasizing that "for the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together."
Netanyahu also took time to thank President Joe Biden for his response to Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel, expressing gratitude for his assistance with the hostages and ongoing support following the attack.
Before his arrival in the US, the Israeli Prime Minister expressed his hope that his meeting with Biden would strengthen the two nations' efforts against the "terrorist axis of Iran" and its proxies.
The leader’s visit this week, however, was largely overshadowed by the absence of both President Biden and Vice President Harris and protests around Capitol Hill.
Dozens of Democratic senators and representatives were absent, with some reportedly citing disagreement with Netanyahu’s policies, while others mentioned scheduling conflicts. Dozens of lawmakers had also skipped the Israeli leader’s speech in 2015.
The vice president usually presides over joint addresses, but Harris was in Indianapolis on her presidential campaign which she launched Sunday, after President Biden dropped his re-election bid.
Biden, meanwhile, is set to deliver his first address to the nation since announcing his decision not to seek re-election, with some arguing that it will further distract attentions from Netanyahu’s visit.
Both Biden and Harris are slated to meet with the Israeli Prime Minister separately on Thursday.
Biden and Harris were also visibly absent to greet the Israeli leader and his wife upon arrival.
But Harris’ plans, according to an aide who spoke with Politico, “should not be interpreted as a change in her position with regard to Israel.”
David Friedman, who served as the US ambassador to Israel during the Trump administration, was a vocal critic of Harris’ absence, stating that it is not just an insult to Netanyahu but also to Israel.
Her refusal to preside over the joint address “tells you everything you need to know about where she stands on Israel. All the far left Jewish groups trying to justify this incredible insult are convincing no one,” Friedman posted on X.
Former President Donald Trump is set to meet Netanyahu on Friday at Mar-a-Lago, his luxury resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
The stakes for the Israeli leader are high, as he faces mounting criticism and pressure to strike a cease-fire deal that would end the fighting in Gaza following the Israeli offensive that came after Hamas’ attacks on October 7, 2023. Palestinian health officials say tens of thousands have reportedly been killed since the war began.
Upon landing on Tuesday, Netanyahu and his wife Sara met with representatives of the families of the Israeli-American hostages held by Hamas. Reports suggest that the families had already been onboard the flight with the Prime Minister.
Shortly after the meeting, Netanyahu said that any cessation in military actions against Hamas could potentially compromise Israel's security in the face of threats from Iran.
“I am not prepared in any way to give in on the victory over Hamas. If we give up on this, we will be in danger in the face of Iran's entire axis of evil,” he said after the meeting.
Netanyahu said he is doing everything in his power to combine the necessary humanitarian objective and the imperative to return the hostages, and at the same time, “preserve the existence of the State of Israel.”