A fifth member of Iran's women's national football team has rescinded her asylum claim in Australia and will return to the squad in Malaysia, Australian media reported on Monday. With that decision, only two of the six players who initially sought asylum - along with one member of the team's support staff - remain in Australia, still concerned about possible persecution if they go back to Iran.
Those five who withdrew their applications are expected to link up with the rest of the delegation in Kuala Lumpur, where the team has been based since leaving Sydney last week.
Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Matt Thistlethwaite told Sky News that the government respects the right of those who chose to return to Iran while continuing to offer assistance to the two team members who have remained in Australia. "This is a very complex situation," Thistlethwaite said.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed on Monday that the team is looking to travel on from Malaysia because it cannot immediately return to Tehran due to the war in the Middle East.
The Iranian Football Association issued a statement saying the squad was expected to depart Malaysia for Tehran soon "to once again be embraced by their families and homeland." The AFC's general secretary, Windsor John, told reporters in Kuala Lumpur that the delegation would seek alternative destinations because an immediate return to Iran was not possible.
"They are just waiting for the flight connections. When they are going... where to, they have to tell us," Windsor John said.
John also said he could not corroborate media reports that families of some players had come under pressure from authorities in Iran, and he added that the players themselves had not raised safety concerns with AFC officials. "We have spoken to the team officials. We have spoken to the coaches, the head of delegation. They are actually in high spirits," he said. "I personally met them. They are not de-motivated, or they didn’t look afraid."
The sequence of events that raised concern began after several players did not sing the national anthem at an Asian Cup match earlier this month. Those actions prompted fears about their safety on return to Iran and led to asylum claims by members of the squad while they were in Australia.
The Iranian team's participation in the Asian Cup coincided with a period of intense regional conflict. The article states that the campaign began just as the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The squad was eliminated from the tournament a week ago.
The situation drew international attention. U.S. President Donald Trump publicly praised Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for permitting the players to remain in Australia, saying on social media that the United States was prepared to accept the players if Australia did not.
Status and next steps:
- The five players who withdrew asylum claims are expected to rejoin the team in Kuala Lumpur.
- Two players and one support staff member remain in Australia, citing fears of persecution if they return to Iran.
- The squad cannot immediately travel back to Tehran and is seeking alternative travel arrangements from Malaysia.