Six members ofIran's women's national football teamare 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.
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.
US President Donald Trumpintervened 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.
They slaughtered more than 165 innocent Iranian schoolgirls in a double-tap Tomahawk attack in the city of Minab, and now they want to take our athletes hostage in the name of "saving" them?The audacity and hypocrisy are staggering.To Iran's Women's football team: don't...pic.twitter.com/MhO3VRf2cY
Source: International Business Times UK
