GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) — Two more members of the Iranian women’s national soccer team have been granted asylum in Australia, bringing the total number of players and staff who have received humanitarian visas to seven. Australian Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke announced the development Wednesday, as the remainder of the team departed for Iran.
The two most recent recipients of asylum – one player and one member of the team’s staff – sought refuge before their teammates were transported to the airport, according to Burke. This follows an initial granting of visas to five players who had previously applied for asylum.
The departure of the majority of the team from Sydney on Tuesday night was met with tense protests at the hotel and airport, as Iranian-Australians attempted to dissuade the players from returning to Iran, citing concerns for their safety. The flight ultimately departed as scheduled.
Asylum Offers Extended During Departure
The Iranian team arrived in Australia last month to compete in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, prior to escalating tensions in the region. After being eliminated from the tournament over the weekend, the players faced the prospect of returning to a country experiencing conflict.
The Australian government revealed Wednesday that it made last-minute attempts to ensure each member of the team had the opportunity to consider an offer of asylum. Burke explained that as the women went through border control, they were individually separated to speak with Australian officials and interpreters, without any accompanying team members present.
“Australia made the offer because we are deeply impressed by these women as individuals,” Burke stated. “The option that Australia gave, the option of having government officials stand in front of you and say it’s your decision, is an option that everyone should have the right to.”
Burke added that some players contacted family members in Iran to discuss the offer, but no other members of the delegation chose to remain in Australia. “It was all about ensuring the dignity of those individuals to be able to create a decision,” he said. “We couldn’t remove the pressure of the context for these people, of what might have been said to them beforehand, of what pressures they might have felt existed on other family members.”
Those who have been granted asylum will receive temporary humanitarian visas, leading to the possibility of permanent residency in Australia, Burke indicated. He similarly noted that some members of the delegation were not offered visas due to reported links with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a paramilitary force in Iran.
Team’s Situation Garners National Attention
The Iranian team garnered significant sympathy in Australia during the tournament. Groups of Iranian-Australians had urged the government to prevent the players from leaving the country, particularly after the team received widespread media coverage when the players did not sing the Iranian national anthem before their first match.
The players did not publicly explain their decision not to sing the anthem, but they did participate in the anthem before subsequent matches. Throughout the tournament, the women largely declined to comment on the situation in their home country and refrained from making political statements.
“When those players were silent at the start of their first match in Australia, that silence was heard as a roar around the world,” Burke said. “We responded by saying: the invitation is there. In Australia, you can be safe.”
The exact size of the Iranian delegation was unclear, but an official roster listed 26 players, along with coaching staff and other personnel. Burke dismissed suggestions that Australian officials could have done more to prevent the women from leaving. “Australia’s objective here wasn’t to force people to make a particular decision,” he said. “That’s not the kind of nation we are.”
The minister stated he had seen widely circulated images appearing to reveal a woman being escorted by her teammates from the team hotel on the Gold Coast to their bus. Burke indicated that local police would determine whether this constituted coercion.
Iran Criticizes Trump’s Comments
“Iran welcomes its children with open arms and the government guarantees their safety,” Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref stated Tuesday. “No one has the right to interfere in the family affairs of the Iranian nation and play the role of a nanny who is more caring than a mother.”
The situation surrounding the team attracted international attention, including from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who criticized the Australian government Monday for not offering asylum to the women. Discussions between Australian officials and some of the women were reportedly underway privately on Tuesday.
Iran’s state television reported that the country’s football federation had requested that international soccer governing bodies review what it characterized as Trump’s “direct political interference in football,” warning that such remarks could disrupt the 2026 FIFA World Cup. MSN reported on this development.
The next confirmed action for the Iranian women’s national team is their participation in future qualifying matches for international tournaments, though the specific schedule remains uncertain given the current geopolitical climate. Fans can follow updates on the team’s progress through official FIFA and AFC channels.
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