5 Iranian women's soccer players receive asylum in Australia after Trump pressure

Australia granted asylum to 5 members of the Iranian women’s shot squad connected Monday, pursuing their perceived governmental basal during the Women’s Asian Cup and unit from President Donald Trump.

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke made the announcement. The women were transported from their edifice successful Gold Coast, Australia "to a harmless location" by national constabulary officers successful the state successful the aboriginal hours of Tuesday morning.

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In this photograph supplied by Australia's Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke's office, the Minister Tony Burke, center, poses successful an undisclosed determination with 5 Iranian women shot players who person been granted asylum successful Australia, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (Australia Ministry of Home Affairs via AP)

The players, then, met with Burke and began the processing for their humanitarian visas, helium said.

"I accidental to the different members of the squad the aforesaid accidental is there," Burke said. "Australia has taken the Iranian women’s shot squad into our hearts."

The asylum bids came amid accrued unit from Trump connected Monday and Iranian groups successful Australia.

"Australia is making a unspeakable humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman’s Soccer squad to beryllium forced backmost to Iran, wherever they volition astir apt beryllium killed. Don’t bash it, Mr. Prime Minister, springiness ASYLUM. The U.S. volition instrumentality them if you won’t," helium wrote connected Truth Social.

"I conscionable spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, of Australia, concerning the Iranian National Women’s Soccer Team," Trump added later. He’s connected it! Five person already been taken attraction of, and the remainder are connected their way. Some, however, consciousness they indispensable spell backmost due to the fact that they are disquieted astir the information of their families, including threats to those household members if they don’t return. In immoderate event, the Prime Minister is doing a precise bully occupation having to bash with this alternatively delicate situation. God bless Australia!"

Iran players airs for a squad photograph up of the Women's Asian Cup shot lucifer betwixt Iran and the Philippines successful Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP, File)

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The squad arrived successful Australia earlier Israel and the U.S. launched a associated violative against Iran connected Feb. 28. The strikes led to the decease of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iranian players refused to sing their nationalist anthem earlier an opening nonaccomplishment to South Korea past Monday, which was viewed by immoderate arsenic an enactment of resistance, which was dubbed by an Iranian commentator arsenic the "pinnacle of dishonor."

The squad didn’t clarify. But the players sang the anthem and saluted earlier their losses to Australia and the Philippines.

"These women are tremendously fashionable successful Australia, but we recognize they are successful a terribly hard concern with the decisions that they’re making," Burke said. "The accidental volition proceed to beryllium determination for them to speech to Australian officials if they privation to."

The Australian Iranian Council launched an online petition urging Australian authorities to "ensure that nary subordinate of Iran’s women’s nationalist shot squad is to depart Australia portion credible fears for their information remain."

Iran supporters question flags during the Women's Asian Cup shot lucifer betwixt Iran and the Philippines successful Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026.  (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP)

"Where credible grounds exists that visiting athletes whitethorn look persecution, imprisonment, coercion, oregon worse upon return, soundlessness is not a neutral position," the petition read. "The existent wartime situation has intensified repression, fear, and the risks faced by anyone publically perceived by the Islamic Republic arsenic disloyal."

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Iran caput manager Marziyeh Jafari was quoted arsenic saying connected Australia’s nationalist quality bureau that the squad wants "to travel backmost to Iran arsenic soon arsenic we can."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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