Australia grants asylum to five players from the Iranian national team

Australia agreed to grant asylum to five female players from the Iranian national team that was participating in the Asian Football Cup, with the aim of protecting them after they were described in their country as “traitors” for refusing to perform the national anthem during the tournament.

Facing South Korea at the start of their campaign on Monday, the players stood motionless, two days after the outbreak of the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran.

A presenter on Iranian state television described the players as “wartime traitors.”

Thursday, in their second match against host Australia, all the players saluted and sang their country’s anthem on the Gold Coast.

The team repeated the same scene against the Philippines on Sunday, as the players performed the anthem and salute.

US President Donald Trump was among those who urged Australia to grant the players asylum, citing serious concerns for their safety if they were forced to board a plane that would return them to their country.

Five players, including captain Zahra Ghanbari, left the team hotel under cover of darkness to seek protection from the Australian authorities.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “We have been preparing for this for a while,” adding, “Australians have been moved by the situation of these brave women. They are now safe here, and they should feel at home.”

Albanese thanked the Australian media for their “reservation”, indicating that the news of the asylum attempt was not revealed before their safety was guaranteed.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the government held secret talks with the players over a period of days, before taking them to a safe house after leaving the hotel on the Gold Coast.

Pictures were circulated showing the players around a table while Burke signed documents granting them special visas allowing them to remain in Australia for humanitarian reasons.

Burke said the players chanted “Ozzie! Ozzie! Ozzie!” (Australian people’s nickname), adding that the rest of the team members would be welcome if they wished to stay.

It is not clear whether the other players in the Iranian national team will return to their country, nor when they will leave Australia.

The asylum approval comes after Trump asked Australia on Monday not to return them to Iran, “where they will almost certainly face death.”

The American President wrote on his platform, “Truth Social,” that Australia is “committing a grave humanitarian mistake,” adding, addressing the Australian Prime Minister, “The United States will receive them if you do not do so.”

The American President said after the Australian decision to protect the players, “They (the Australians) are taking care of five of them, and the rest will follow. However, some of them feel that they have to return (to Iran) because they fear for the safety of their families,” noting that the Australian Prime Minister is doing “a very good job in this very delicate situation.”