Iran targets commercial ships, oil infrastructure as U.S.-Israeli strikes central Beirut, expanding conflict
6 members of Iran’s international soccer team and a support staff worker remain in Australia
Australia has granted asylum to two more women from Iran’s international soccer team, but at the last minute one of them changed her mind, deciding she wanted to return to Iran.
Supporters have been urging the women to seek asylum, after they were filmed refusing to sing the Iranian national anthem on the pitch ahead of an Asia Cup match last week. Campaigners fear the players could face severe retaliation in Tehran, where some have labelled them “wartime traitors.”
On Tuesday five players disappeared from their hotel. They reappeared in a photo showing them standing alongside Australia’s immigration minister. All five were granted emergency humanitarian visas.
Two more members of the Iranian team later decided they wanted to stay. One is a player, the other a member of the team’s support staff.
One of them was reportedly talking to her family in Iran late into the night, when she reversed her decision to remain in Australia. It’s unclear if her family were under any pressure from Iranian authorities to persuade her to return to Tehran.
In a further twist, her teammates and coach advised her to contact the Iranian embassy. But in doing so she immediately alerted Iranian diplomatic staff in Australia to the location of all the missing soccer players.
Australian authorities moved quickly to relocate the women to another secure undisclosed location. The seventh woman is understood to still be in Australia after her teammates were flown to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
Australia will fast-track the applications of those Iranian women who stayed in the country for permanent residency, something Australia has done previously for members of the Afghan women’s cricket team, who fled the Taliban.
Australian Immigration Minister Tony Burke said the Iranian team had been shown respect they would be unfamiliar with and “shown a country that is willing to say the choice is yours.”
The remaining team members might have to stay in Malaysia until flights reopen to Tehran. The Asian Football Confederation is understood to be exploring safe arrangements for them.
