Inside the secret meeting that saved five Iranian football stars as players chant Aussie ‘Oi, Oi, Oi’ – after Trump and Albanese held late-night crisis talks

Five members of the Iranian women’s football team have been granted asylum in Australia following a late-night Australian Federal Police operation to smuggle them out of their hotel.

He was seen making what appeared to be an ‘SOS’ hand sign on the team bus after the team’s Asian Cup campaign ended on Sunday night. Five members then fled their Gold Coast hotel on Monday night to avoid returning home and face possible persecution.

Iranian state media criticized the team for refusing to sing the Iranian national anthem before their opening Asian Cup match against South Korea, calling them ‘wartime traitors’ who should be severely punished.

Captain Zahra Ghanbari, Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh and Mona Hamoudi are under federal police protection at a safe house in Brisbane after authorities escorted the group under heavy security in a blacked-out van just before 7pm.

After two days of secret meetings, the group was granted a humanitarian visa by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.

At least three more Iranian players are missing and their whereabouts are unknown.

Australian officials met privately with Iranian players following the final Asian Cup match on Sunday night.

“A lot of work has been going on over the last few days to make sure that we have the maximum number of opportunities for these women to know that they can seek help if they want, and that we have the maximum number of opportunities for them to seek that help directly,” Burke told reporters Tuesday.

Home Secretary Tony Burke signed off on humanitarian visas for five players late on Monday night

‘The conversation began in earnest in the early hours of yesterday morning.

‘When this happened yesterday it became clear that there were five women who wanted to stay in Australia.

‘I approved the humanitarian visa applications last night and the process was completed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs a little after 1.30am this morning.’

Burke also recalled the players’ joyful reaction to this news, adding that they were happy to have their photos taken and their names given.

‘Once everything was signed there were lots of photos, lots of celebrations and then the spontaneous outbreak of Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi ensued,’ he said.

Burke gave the same opportunity to the rest of the team still holed up at the Royal Pines Resort.

‘Australia welcomed the Iranian women’s football team into our hearts,’ he said.

‘These women are extremely popular in Australia, but we recognize that they are in an extremely difficult situation with the decisions they have made.

‘But the opportunity will continue to be there to speak to Australian officials if they wish.’

‘There were lots of photos, lots of celebrations, and then the spontaneous outbreak of Australian Aussie Oi Oi Oi emerged,’ Burke said.

Fans of the Iranian women’s football team camped outside their hotel on Tuesday

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added: ‘Australians are touched by the plight of these safe women.

‘They are safe here and they are at home here. We are ready to help other women in the team as well… We tell them: ‘If you want our help, help is here.”

The daring escape sparked wild celebrations from fans outside the team’s hotel on Monday night, despite the rain.

A large group of fans remained camped outside the hotel on Tuesday morning.

Earlier Monday night, President Donald Trump publicly asked Albanese to intervene personally.

“Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iranian National Women’s Football Team to be sent back to Iran where they will most likely be killed,” Trump said in a social media post.

‘Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give him the right to asylum. If you don’t, the USA will take them. Thank you for your interest in this matter.’

A follow-up post simply read: ‘Asylum!’

An hour later, Trump confirmed he had spoken to Albanese and praised the prime minister for his handling of “a highly sensitive situation.”

‘He’s on it!’ He wrote at Truth Social.

‘Five taken care of, the rest are on the way.

Five members of the team who escaped were granted humanitarian visas

Australian Federal Police helped five Iranian players escape from a Gold Coast hotel on Monday night, sparking wild celebrations.

Fans remain outside the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, where the rest of the Iran squad are currently holed up

‘However, some feel they must return because they fear for the safety of their families, including threats to family members if they do not return.

‘In any case, the Prime Minister is doing a very good job dealing with this very sensitive situation. God save Australia!’

Albanese later talked about his very positive meeting with Trump.

‘He conveyed to me that he was concerned about the welfare and safety of the Iranian women on the football team when they returned home,’ he said.

‘I was able to explain to him the action we had taken over the last 48 hours, that five of the team had requested assistance, that they had received that assistance and that they were positioned safely.’

The Iranian women’s team was seen making a hand sign that appeared to be ‘SOS’ after their Asian Cup clash ended on Sunday night.

Donald Trump met with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese late at night

Opposition home affairs spokesman Jonathon Duniam praised Burke for his intervention.

“It’s an incredibly sensitive issue when there’s only so much that can be said, knowing that there are issues there with people living under the watchful eye of a foreign country and on our territory,” he told Sky.

‘I admire the government more broadly for what they have done. This is the correct conclusion.’