‘They are safe here’: five Iranian women footballers granted humanitarian visas in Australia, Burke confirms | Women’s football
Five members of Iran’s women’s football team have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia, and the federal government has offered assistance to other players.
Home secretary Tony Burke confirmed the dramatic offer on Tuesday morning, hours after US President Donald Trump explained their situation on social media.
Trump said he spoke to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who told him that five members of the team were being “treated” for fear they could be punished if they returned home.
Burke said the players were assisted by the Australian Federal Police and given security clearance by Asio.
“They can stay in Australia,” Burke said. “They should feel safe here and at home here.
“I say to the other members of the team: The same opportunity exists here. Australia has taken the Iranian women’s football team into our hearts.
“These women are extremely popular in Australia, but we recognize that they are in an extremely difficult situation with the decisions they have made. However, the opportunity to speak to Australian authorities will continue to be there if they wish.”
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said that other members of the team, who were in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup overnight, “felt they had to return because they were concerned about the safety of their families, including threats to their family members if they did not return.”
Trump concluded: “In any case, the Prime Minister is doing a very good job [sic] with this rather delicate situation. God save Australia!”
It is unclear how many Iranian players remain in Australia.
Reza Pahlavi, son of the last politically exiled shah of Iran he wrote on Instagram He said five members of Iran’s women’s national team left their training camps and “successfully defected to Australia”.
“These five brave athletes, now in a safe place, have announced their participation in Iran’s national Revolution of the Lion and the Sun,” Pahlavi’s office wrote.
Pahlavi said the five players are Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh and Mona Hamoudi.
Speculations had been going on for days that some players would seek asylum in Australia, following the news that they were described as “traitors” for refusing to sing their national anthem in the opening match of the Women’s Asian Cup, which started in Australia last week.
On Monday, a tense standoff broke out at the team hotel on Queensland’s Gold Coast, where anti-Iran regime protesters gathered as they prepared to board a bus that would take them to the airport for their flight back to Iran.
On Monday night local time, five of the players reportedly evaded regime guards and were protected by Australian federal police.
Citing sources in the Australian-Iranian community, Nine newspaper reported that the women were “receiving support” from the police. “The police took them to safety,” said Brisbane-based human rights activist Hadi Karimi. said Nine. “Great, amazing.”
There were “chaotic scenes” at the Royal Pines Hotel. According to news.comas caregivers ran into the lobby to look for the women.
When their 2-0 defeat against the Philippines in Robina on Sunday night meant they were excluded from the tournament, the Ministry of Internal Affairs began processing the women’s asylum requests after “secret meetings” with the players, News.com reported.
It was also stated that Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke went to Queensland on Monday and met with the players and will make a statement on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs was contacted for comment.
Trump had previously called on Albanese to grant asylum to his team members.
“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 post on Truth Social. “If you don’t take them, the USA will take them.”
Australia’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s remarks.
James Cockayne, the anti-slavery commissioner of New South Wales, wrote to Australian federal police chief Krissy Barrett on Monday night, calling for an immediate investigation of the players’ case into suspected “exit trafficking”.
The referral letter states that “forcing the Iranian women’s football team to leave Australia may be an offense under Australian law” and calls on Barrett to investigate and “prevent the suspects from leaving Australia”.
Protesters briefly blocked the team bus leaving the stadium on Sunday, waving the international sign to help the players; The fist was closed with the thumb under the four fingers and opened again.
It was seen that some players tried to reciprocate this gesture.
A FIFA spokesperson said: “The safety and security of the Iran women’s national team is FIFA’s priority and we are therefore in close contact with the relevant Australian authorities, including Football Australia, regarding the situation of the team.”
