BRISBANE, Australia — Five players from Iran’s women’s national soccer team have received humanitarian protection in Australia, according to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who announced the decision on Tuesday.
Australian federal police relocated the women from their Gold Coast hotel to a secure location during the early morning hours on Tuesday. Burke met with the players there and completed the processing of their humanitarian visas, he informed media representatives in Brisbane later that day.
The Iranian squad had traveled to Australia last month to compete in the Women’s Asian Cup, arriving before conflict erupted in their homeland. After being eliminated from the competition over the weekend, the team faced the possibility of returning to Iran amid ongoing bombardment.
Iran’s head coach Marziyeh Jafari stated on Sunday that her players “want to come back to Iran as soon as we can,” as reported by Australia’s AAP news service.
President Donald Trump had strongly criticized Australia’s handling of the situation on Monday, posting on social media that Australia was “making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the … team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed.”
Trump urged Australia to provide asylum for the team, stating: “The U.S. will take them if you won’t.”
Within two hours, Trump posted again praising Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, writing: “He’s on it! Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way.”
The specific measures being implemented by Australia’s government remained unclear at the time.
Trump also noted that some players “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.”
This asylum offer marked a notable shift for Trump, whose administration has worked to reduce the number of immigrants eligible for political asylum.
Throughout the tournament, team members largely avoided discussing the crisis in their country, though forward Sara Didar became emotional during a Wednesday press conference while expressing worry for their loved ones and fellow Iranians affected by the conflict.
The squad’s quiet stance during the national anthem before their opening defeat to South Korea was interpreted by some as defiance and by others as grief. The team has not clarified their intentions. During their final two games, they participated in singing and saluting during the anthem.
