More Iranian women's soccer personnel accept asylum in Australia amid threat of punishment in home country

Australian Minister of Home Affairs Tony Burke announced astatine a quality league Tuesday that different Iranian women's shot subordinate and a squad staffer person accepted asylum successful Australia amid fearfulness of punishment upon returning to Iran aft 5 players accepted asylum connected Sunday.

Burke added that astir each the Iranian players and galore of the enactment unit were taken aside, individually, arsenic they passed done Australian Customs astatine an airdrome earlier they boarded their formation backmost to Iran.

And they were each fixed the accidental to judge an asylum connection without Iranian authorities officials present, but different players oregon unit accepted the connection to stay. 

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Iranian players respond during their nationalist anthem up of a Women's Asian Cup shot lucifer against the Philippines successful Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026.  (Dave Hunt/AAP Image via AP)

The asylum bids came amid accrued unit from President Donald Trump 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," Trump wrote connected Truth Social.

Trump aboriginal wrote, "I conscionable spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, of Australia, concerning the Iranian National Women’s Soccer Team. 

"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!"

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

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Iranian players during their nationalist anthem up of a Women's Asian Cup shot against the Philippines successful Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP)

Iranian players refused to sing their nationalist anthem earlier an opening nonaccomplishment to South Korea March 2, which was viewed by immoderate arsenic an enactment of absorption dubbed by an Iranian commentator to beryllium the "pinnacle of dishonor."

The squad didn’t qualify, 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.

"Where credible grounds exists that visiting athletes whitethorn look persecution, imprisonment, coercion, oregon worse upon return, soundlessness is not a neutral position," the petition added. "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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Iranian players airs for a squad photograph up of a Women's Asian Cup shot lucifer against the Philippines successful Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP, File)

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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