Group photo of Iran football team ‘unwise’ as asylum rejected, Liberals warn

Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam warned that the widely shared photo of Home Secretary Tony Burke and Iranian women football players – all but two of whom have since given up their asylum claims – was “unwise”.

Five of the seven players from the Iran women’s football team, who were granted asylum by the Albanian government, have since left Australia.

Fatemeh Pasandideh, one of the players remaining in Australia, posted a photo of herself with FIFA executive and former US women’s coach Jill Ellis from the Brisbane beach on Monday afternoon, writing on Instagram that “everything will be fine.”

The rest of the team is understood to be currently in Southeast Asia, waiting to head to Iran once the security situation has eased.

While Senator Duniam admitted that women “will make choices that are in their best interest,” he said the intense public commentary on their situation “is not helpful.”

“By raising this issue in this way, I think it has caused more tension than necessary and may have disrupted the very good work that the government has been doing to provide asylum for these women,” she told the ABC.

Senator Duniam said the government’s efforts were “appropriate.”

But the opposition home affairs spokesman warned that the image shared by Mr Burke was “unwise”.

In a photo shared on Mr Burke’s social media last week, the Home Secretary can be seen standing shoulder to shoulder with five players who were initially offered asylum after declaring their defection from regime rulers with the help of police.

“I think the photos are unwise,” Senator Duniam told the ABC.

“I think the comment is unreasonable.”

He continued: “It was as if discretion no longer mattered.

“I think this has an impact on the future of these women and whether they will continue to seek asylum and call Australia home.”

Senator Duniam said the government was handling the situation well “up to a point”.

“Donald Trump, whoever he is, has managed to manage this in secret, by keeping matters secret, despite the pressure and the insistence of commentators,” he said.

“After the photos and the continued comments, it started to become apparent that there were these problems.”

Senator Duniam did not say whether US President Donald Trump’s intervention had an impact, defending her colleague Liberal MP Julian Leeser’s advocacy.

“There’s a big difference between calling on a government to take action and a government saying it’s taking action,” he said.

“Because in the political environment, a player calling on the government to do something is different from confirming that things are happening.”

Members of the Iranian diaspora claimed that a regime associate was able to communicate with team members while in a safe house in Australia.

Senator Duniam acknowledged that the departing players were able to contact the Iranian embassy.

He said attempts to pressure players “unfortunately worked”.

“This is such a heartbreaking incident.”

In a statement on Sunday, Mr Burke acknowledged the decision of three team members to rejoin the team on their return trip to Iran.

“After telling Australian officials they had made this decision, the players were given multiple chances to talk about their options,” Mr Burke said.

“The Australian Government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, but we cannot take away the context in which players make these incredibly difficult decisions. “The Australian Government has done everything we can to make sure these women are given the chance of a secure future in Australia.

“Australians should be proud that our country is where these women experience a nation that gives them real options and interact with officials who want to help them.”

Deputy Employment Minister Patrick Gorman defended Mr Burke’s actions on the ABC on Monday, accompanied by a photograph.

“We’ve seen widespread acceptance of how the government has handled this situation,” he said, noting that it was important for players to “have agency” in making decisions.

“As difficult as these decisions are, I think we all need to respect each individual’s will and decision.

Mr Burke’s office has been contacted for further comment.