Australia: 5 Iran national team players granted asylum

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Iran’s national team made headlines after not singing the anthem at the Asia CupImage: Nigel Owen/Action Plus/IMAGO

Five Iranianwomen’s national team players were granted humanitarian visas in Australiaamid fears of persecution back home.

“Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“They’re safe here, and they should feel at home here,” he added.

According to Albanese, all other members of Iran’s squad are welcome to receive help, but it was up to them to accept the offer.

Australian police took the five Iran squad members from their hotel in Gold Coast, moving them to a “safe location” after their asylum requests.

Supporters react toward Iranian players departing on a bus following the AFC Womens Asian Cup Group A match between Iran and Philippines at Gold Coast Stadium on the Gold Coast
Supporters of the Iran national team react to the team’s busImage: Dave Hunt/AAP/IMAGO

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who met the five players upon the completion of their humanitarian visas, said they were “excited” about their future lives in Australia.

“I don’t want to begin to imagine how difficult that decision is for each of the individual women, but certainly last night it was joy, it was relief,” Burke said.

Trump calls for players to be granted asylum

This came after US President Donald Trump said he had spoken to Albanese about the players. Trump also posted on his Truth Social account that Australia should give the players asylum and that the US would take them in if Canberra wouldn’t.

Trump added they’d be killed should they return back home.

The reason for the call was the fact that Iran’s players received attention for not singing their country’s national anthem ahead of their first Asian Cup game against South Korea.

Many believed the move was in criticism of the Iranian regime amidst the US-Israel war on the country.

Back in Iran, the Iranian national team faced criticism, with some accusing them of being “wartime traitors,” sparking worries over the players’ safety.

 Supporters of Iran are seen holding banners of support after the Womens Asian Cup match between Islamic Republic of Iran and Philippines
Local fans held banners in support of the protests against the Iranian regimeImage: Matthew Starling/Sports Press Photo/IMAGO

The following game, against hosts Australia, the Iran players sang the anthem while saluting, a move many critics of Iran’s Islamic regime believed they had been forced to carry out.

After Iran’s elimination from the Asia Cup due to the loss to the Philippines, calls around the world grew to make sure the footballers would be granted asylum in Australia, preventing them from facing the potential backlash and sanctions back in Tehran.

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko

Five Iranianwomen’s national team players were granted humanitarian visas in Australiaamid fears of persecution back home.

“Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“They’re safe here, and they should feel at home here,” he added.

According to Albanese, all other members of Iran’s squad are welcome to receive help, but it was up to them to accept the offer.

Australian police took the five Iran squad members from their hotel in Gold Coast, moving them to a “safe location” after their asylum requests.

Supporters react toward Iranian players departing on a bus following the AFC Womens Asian Cup Group A match between Iran and Philippines at Gold Coast Stadium on the Gold Coast
Supporters of the Iran national team react to the team’s busImage: Dave Hunt/AAP/IMAGO

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who met the five players upon the completion of their humanitarian visas, said they were “excited” about their future lives in Australia.

“I don’t want to begin to imagine how difficult that decision is for each of the individual women, but certainly last night it was joy, it was relief,” Burke said.

Trump calls for players to be granted asylum

This came after US President Donald Trump said he had spoken to Albanese about the players. Trump also posted on his Truth Social account that Australia should give the players asylum and that the US would take them in if Canberra wouldn’t.

Trump added they’d be killed should they return back home.

The reason for the call was the fact that Iran’s players received attention for not singing their country’s national anthem ahead of their first Asian Cup game against South Korea.

Many believed the move was in criticism of the Iranian regime amidst the US-Israel war on the country.

Back in Iran, the Iranian national team faced criticism, with some accusing them of being “wartime traitors,” sparking worries over the players’ safety.

 Supporters of Iran are seen holding banners of support after the Womens Asian Cup match between Islamic Republic of Iran and Philippines
Local fans held banners in support of the protests against the Iranian regimeImage: Matthew Starling/Sports Press Photo/IMAGO

The following game, against hosts Australia, the Iran players sang the anthem while saluting, a move many critics of Iran’s Islamic regime believed they had been forced to carry out.

After Iran’s elimination from the Asia Cup due to the loss to the Philippines, calls around the world grew to make sure the footballers would be granted asylum in Australia, preventing them from facing the potential backlash and sanctions back in Tehran.

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko

Five Iranianwomen’s national team players were granted humanitarian visas in Australiaamid fears of persecution back home.

“Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“They’re safe here, and they should feel at home here,” he added.

According to Albanese, all other members of Iran’s squad are welcome to receive help, but it was up to them to accept the offer.

Australian police took the five Iran squad members from their hotel in Gold Coast, moving them to a “safe location” after their asylum requests.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who met the five players upon the completion of their humanitarian visas, said they were “excited” about their future lives in Australia.

“I don’t want to begin to imagine how difficult that decision is for each of the individual women, but certainly last night it was joy, it was relief,” Burke said.

This came after US President Donald Trump said he had spoken to Albanese about the players. Trump also posted on his Truth Social account that Australia should give the players asylum and that the US would take them in if Canberra wouldn’t.

Trump added they’d be killed should they return back home.

The reason for the call was the fact that Iran’s players received attention for not singing their country’s national anthem ahead of their first Asian Cup game against South Korea.

Many believed the move was in criticism of the Iranian regime amidst the US-Israel war on the country.

Back in Iran, the Iranian national team faced criticism, with some accusing them of being “wartime traitors,” sparking worries over the players’ safety.

The following game, against hosts Australia, the Iran players sang the anthem while saluting, a move many critics of Iran’s Islamic regime believed they had been forced to carry out.

After Iran’s elimination from the Asia Cup due to the loss to the Philippines, calls around the world grew to make sure the footballers would be granted asylum in Australia, preventing them from facing the potential backlash and sanctions back in Tehran.

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko

[analyse_source url=”https://www.dw.com/en/australia-5-iran-national-team-players-granted-asylum/a-76284734″]


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