Australia grants asylum to 5 Iranian women's soccer players

Australia grants asylum to 5 members of the Iranian women's soccer team Australia grants asylum to 5 members of the Iranian women's soccer team GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) — Australia has granted asylum to five members of the Iranian women's soccer team who were visiting the country for a tournament when the Iran war began, a government minister said Tuesday. The announcement came after days of insistence from Iranian groups in Australia and US President Donald Trump that the Australian government help the women, who had not spoken publicly about their desire to seek asylum. The team generated speculation and news coverage in Australia when the players did not sing the Iranian anthem before their first game. Early Tuesday, police officers transported five of the women from their hotel in Gold Coast, Australia, “to a safe location” after they made asylum claims. There they met with the Minister of the Interior, Tony Burke, and finalized the processing of their humanitarian visas. “I don't want to begin to imagine how difficult that decision is for each of the women, but certainly last night was joy, it was relief,” said Burke, who posted photos on social media of the women smiling and clapping as they signed documents. "People were very excited about embarking on a life in Australia." The women who were granted asylum were happy to have their names and photographs published, she said. Burke added that the players wanted to make it clear that “they were not political activists.” Iran warns of possible impact on World Cup Iranian state television said the country's soccer federation asked international soccer bodies to review what it called Trump's "direct political interference in soccer," warning that such comments could disrupt the 2026 World Cup, which begins in North America in June. Naghmeh Danai said she was invited as a migration agent and member of the Iranian-Australian community to visit the women at a hotel on Monday night and reassure them about what was available to them in Australia. "I told them that if you accept this offer, you will have a great future here. You will have more respect. You will not be under the great repression that you have had in your country. And they were excited," Danai said. “At the same time, it's understandable that it was a very difficult decision for them when they have family at home and when they just came here to compete,” Danai added. The future remains a mystery for the 21 players on the squad and others The Iranian team arrived in Australia for the women's Asian Cup last month, before the Iran war began on February 28. The team was eliminated from the tournament over the weekend and faced the prospect of returning to a country under bombing. Iran head coach Marziyeh Jafari said on Sunday that the players "want to return to Iran as soon as we can." An official squad list named 26 players, in addition to Jafari and other coaches. Burke said the offer of asylum was extended to all members of the team. A commotion broke out Tuesday afternoon outside the team hotel when members of the public knelt or lay down in front of the team bus. Australia has granted asylum to five members of the Iranian women's soccer team who were visiting the country for a tournament when the Iran war began, a government minister said on Tuesday. It was unclear when the remaining players were due to leave Australia, but a commotion broke out outside the team hotel on Tuesday afternoon when members of the public knelt or lay down in front of a white bus with tinted windows believed to be transporting the rest of the team. Protesters tried to stop the bus from leaving the hotel, but it was only delayed for a few minutes. Protesters, some dressed in red, white and green or holding pre-Revolution Iranian flags, tried to stop the bus from leaving the hotel, but the delay was only a few minutes late.