Iran Women's Football Players Seek Asylum In Australia Over Fears Of Punishment At Home

Six members of Iran's women's national football team are now under federal police protection at an undisclosed location in Brisbane, having refused to board a flight back to a country where state television has branded them 'wartime traitors.'

Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told parliament on 11 March that seven members of the squad, six players and one staff member, had been granted temporary humanitarian visas following the team's appearance at the AFC Women's Asian Cup on the Gold Coast. One of the seven has since reversed her decision and plans to leave Australia, leaving six behind, said Fox News.

The Department of Home Affairs named the five players initially granted asylum as captain Zahra Ghanbari, midfielders Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Sarbali Alishah and Mona Hamoudi, and defender Atefeh Ramezanizadeh. A sixth player and a staff member joined them before the rest of the squad flew from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur on 10 March.

How A Silent Anthem Turned Iran's Women's Team Into Targets

It started with silence. On 2 March, the Iranian players stood without singing during the national anthem before their opening group match against South Korea. They did not raise their fists. They did not hold banners. They simply stood there, lips closed.

That was enough. A presenter on Iran's IRIB state broadcaster called it 'the pinnacle of dishonour.' The team had flown into Australia before a joint US-Israeli military offensive against Iran began on 28 February, an operation that resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. By the time they took the pitch, the country they had left no longer looked the same.

For the next two matches the players sang the anthem and saluted. Iran lost all three fixtures and were eliminated. Forward Sara Didar fought back tears at a press conference talking about fears for her family.

Trump's Intervention And The Scramble At Sydney Airport

US President Donald Trump intervened on 10 March, posting on Truth Social that Australia was 'making a terrible humanitarian mistake' by allowing the team to return to Iran, 'where they will most likely be killed.' He added: 'The U.S. will take them if you won't.'

Hours later, Trump confirmed he had spoken to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. 'He's on it!' Trump wrote. 'Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way.' Albanese called the conversation 'very positive' and said asylum remained available to every member of the squad.

Burke said Australian officials individually pulled aside nearly all the Iranian players and staff at Sydney Airport and offered each one asylum without Iranian state officials present. The visas are temporary humanitarian visas valid for 12 months, providing a pathway to permanent residency.

One Player Reversed Her Decision After Iranian Embassy Contact

The fragility of the situation became clear when Burke revealed that one of the seven women had changed her mind. She had been encouraged by teammates and her coach to contact the Iranian embassy.

'As a result of that it meant the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was,' Burke told parliament. He ordered the remaining six moved immediately to a new safe house under Australian Federal Police guard.

The rest of the squad departed Sydney on Tuesday night and arrived at Kuala Lumpur early Wednesday. The departure was chaotic. Iranian-Australians staged protests outside the Gold Coast hotel and again at Sydney Airport, kneeling in front of the team bus and chanting 'Save our girls.' The bus was delayed only minutes.

Iran's head coach Marziyeh Jafari said the team wanted 'to come back to Iran as soon as we can.' Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei urged the players to return, writing on X: 'Don't worry. Iran awaits you with open arms.'

Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, accused Australia and Trump of taking the players 'hostage' and asked FIFA to review what Iran called 'direct political interference in football.' Global players' union FIFPRO said it had been unable to reach the women during their stay and raised serious concerns for their welfare.

Burke said the offer would stay open. 'These women are tremendously popular in Australia, but we realise they are in a terribly difficult situation with the decisions that they're making,' he said.

Originally published on IBTimes UK