Seven Iranian women’s soccer players accept asylum in Australia, Burke says

Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced at a press conference on Tuesday that another Iranian female football player and a team employee had agreed to seek asylum in Australia due to fears of punishment if they returned to Iran, after the five football players accepted their asylum request on Sunday.

Burke added that nearly all of the Iranian players and most of their support staff were pulled aside one by one as they passed through Australian Customs at an airport before boarding a flight back to Iran.

And each was given the opportunity to accept an offer of asylum without Iranian government officials, but other players or staff accepted the offer to stay.

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The asylum offers came Monday amid growing pressure from President Donald Trump and Iranian groups in Australia.

“Australia is doing something A terrible human error in allowing The Iranian National Women’s Football team will be sent back to Iran where they will most likely be killed. Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, grant the right to asylum. “If you don’t, the USA will take them,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump later wrote: “I just spoke to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the Iran National Women’s Football Team.

“There! Five people have already been dealt with and the rest are on the way. But 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 highly sensitive situation. God bless Australia!”

The team arrived in Australia before Israel and USA launches joint attack against Iran on February 28. The attacks led to the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

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Iranian players sing their national anthem before the Women’s Asian Cup match against the Philippines on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Robina, Australia. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP)

Iranian players They refused to sing their national anthem Before the first defeat against South Korea on March 2, which was seen by some as an act of resistance that one Iranian commentator called “the height of disgrace”.

The team did not qualify for the tournament, but the players sang and saluted before losing to Australia and the Philippines.

“These women are extremely popular in Australia, but we recognize that they are in an extremely difficult situation with the decisions they have made,” Burke said. “The opportunity will continue to be there to speak to Australian officials if they wish.”

The Australia Iran Council has launched an online petition calling on Australian authorities to “ensure that no member of the Iran women’s national football team leaves Australia while credible fears remain for their safety”.

“Silence is not neutral when there is credible evidence that visiting athletes may face persecution, imprisonment, oppression, or worse upon their return,” the petition reads. The statement was included. “The current wartime environment has intensified the pressure, fear and risks faced by anyone publicly perceived as disloyal by the Islamic Republic.”

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Iranian players pose for a team photo before the Women’s Asian Cup football match against the Philippines on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Robina, Australia. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP, File)

Iran head coach Marziyeh Jafari was quoted as saying in a statement to Australia’s national news agency that the team wanted “to return to Iran as soon as possible.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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