Australia has agreed to offer visas to 5 members of the Iranian women’s football team, permitting them to remain within the nation, as they might face punishment upon their return home for not singing the Iranian nationwide anthem earlier than their first match at an Asian Cup match.
Australian Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke advised a information convention on Monday that he had knowledgeable the 5 members “that they are welcome to stay in Australia, that they are safe here, and they should feel at home here”.
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The Department of Home Affairs named the 5 group members as captain Zahra Ghanbari, midfielders Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Sarbali Alishah, Mona Hamoudi, and defender Atefeh Ramezanizadeh.
Burke mentioned the remaining gamers on the Iranian group, which is visiting Australia for the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in Queensland, are in a resort on the Gold Coast.
He added that he had additionally supplied the opposite group members the prospect to remain in Australia.
The gamers’ resolution to face in silence throughout Iran’s anthem earlier than their match in opposition to South Korea was labelled because the “pinnacle of dishonour” by a commentator on Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster.
The announcement to grant the gamers visas got here after United States President Donald Trump, who’s at the moment waging war on Iran alongside ally Israel, mentioned that he had spoken to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in regards to the “delicate situation” confronted by the group, and that Albanese was “on it!”
“Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way. Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don’t return,” Trump mentioned on his Truth Social platform.
Earlier, Trump had referred to as on Albanese to “give ASYLUM” to the group, which was knocked out of the match on Sunday after shedding their final group sport in opposition to the Philippines, warning the Australian chief that he could be making a “terrible humanitarian mistake” if he allowed the group’s gamers to be “forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed”.
Albanese advised reporters on Tuesday that he had a “very positive” cellphone name with Trump in regards to the Iranian gamers.
“I was able to convey to him the action that we’d undertaken over the previous 48 hours, and that five of the team had asked for assistance and had received it and were safely located,” Albanese mentioned.
“Assistance remains available for the other members of the team, but it, of course, is a decision for them. If they make a decision to ask for support, they will receive it,” he mentioned.
Iran’s semi-official Fars information company mentioned that 5 gamers who have been in Australia for the Asian Cup had secretly left the group resort with Australian police.
The Iranian group’s participation within the soccer match began simply because the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran on February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and no less than 1,255 more people in additional than per week of bombing.
While the group didn’t sing the anthem forward of their first match, they did sing it and saluted earlier than their second match in opposition to Australia, sparking fears amongst human rights campaigners that the ladies had been coerced by their authorities minders, who had reportedly escorted them all over the place whereas in Australia.
Global soccer gamers’ union FIFPRO mentioned earlier on Monday that there have been critical issues for the welfare of the group as they ready to return house after being labelled “wartime traitors”.
Elijah Buol, CEO of Australian nonprofit organisation the Asylum Seekers Centre, described the choice to grant asylum visas as a “compassionate and practical step that recognises the serious risks many Iranian people face if they are forced to return to Iran”.
However, Buol added, “this moment should be the start, not the end”.
“It must shine a light on the many Iranian people seeking asylum already living in our community who remain in limbo, waiting for certainty and protection,” Buol mentioned.
