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Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced at a news conference on Tuesday that another Iranian women’s soccer player and a team official have accepted asylum in Australia due to fear of punishment when they return to Iran, after five players accepted asylum on Sunday.
Burke added that almost all of the Iranian players and many of the support staff were taken aside, individually, as they passed through Australian customs at an airport before boarding their flight back to Iran.
And they were each given the opportunity to accept an asylum offer without Iranian government officials present, but other players or staff accepted the offer to stay.
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Iranian players react during their national anthem ahead of a women’s Asian Cup soccer match against the Philippines in Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAP photo via AP)
The asylum applications came amid increased pressure from President Donald Trump on Monday and Iranian groups in Australia.
“Australia is making one terrible humanitarian mistake to allow Iran’s national women’s soccer team must be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed. Don’t do it Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYL. America will take them if you don’t,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump later wrote: “I just spoke with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia about the Iran women’s national soccer team.
“He’s on the move! Five have already been taken care of and the rest are on their way. However, some feel they must return because they are concerned about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don’t return. In any case, the Prime Minister is doing a very good job with this rather sensitive situation. God bless Australia!”
The team arrived in Australia before Israel and the The United States launched a joint offensive against Iran February 28. The attacks led to the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
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Iranian players during their national anthem ahead of a women’s Asian Cup soccer match against the Philippines in Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP)
Iranian players refused to sing their national anthem before an opening loss to South Korea on 2 March, which was seen by some as an act of defiance, called “the pinnacle of disgrace” by an Iranian commentator.
The team did not qualify, but the players sang the national anthem and saluted before their losses to Australia and the Philippines.
“These women are hugely popular in Australia but we realize they are in a terribly difficult situation with the decisions they are making,” Mr Burke said. “The option will continue to be there for them to speak to Australian officials if they wish.”
The Australian Iranian Council launched an online petition calling on the Australian authorities to “ensure that no member of the Iran women’s national football team leaves Australia while there is still a credible fear for their safety.
“Where credible evidence exists that visiting athletes may face persecution, imprisonment, coercion or worse upon return, silence is not a neutral position,” the petition added. “The current wartime environment has intensified the repression, fear and risks faced by anyone publicly perceived by the Islamic Republic as disloyal.”
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Iranian players pose for a team photo ahead of a women’s Asian Cup soccer match against the Philippines in Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP, File)
Iran head coach Marziyeh Jafari was quoted as saying on Australia’s national news agency that the team wants “to return to Iran as soon as we can.”
