Five footballers on the Iran women's team have defected and sought refuge in Australia, it was claimed on Monday, as the US President Donald Trump offered the team asylum.
Fears have been raised for the players' safety if they return to Iran in wartime, after they were knocked out of the Women's Asian Cup in Australia. Their failure to sing the national anthem in Iran's opening game against South Korea drew accusations of disloyalty from state media in Tehran.
Under an intense spotlight, they did sing and salute the anthem in their subsequent matches against Australia and the Philippines. But their elimination was confirmed with a 2-0 loss to the Philippines.
Reza Pahlavi, the Iranian opposition figure and son of the shah deposed in the 1979 revolution, urged Australian authorities to ensure the squad's safety. He later announced that five players had "left the team’s training camp and successfully sought refuge" in Australia, where they were now in a "safe location".
The Athletic reported that Australian police had helped the five women to defect and take refuge in a safe house.
Mr Trump weighed in on the matter on Monday. He first accused Australia of making a "terrible humanitarian mistake" by allowing players to be "forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed".
"Don’t do it, Mr Prime Minister, give asylum. The US will take them if you won’t," he said. But shortly afterwards, Mr Trump he had spoken to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and been assured that "he's on it".
"Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way. Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families," he said.
Fifa, whose president Gianni Infantino is close to Mr Trump, has said it is in close contact with Australian authorities.
Before last weekend's opening match against South Korea, the Iranian players refused to sing their national anthem, a decision that quickly drew international attention. A commentator on Iran’s state broadcaster described the act as the “pinnacle of dishonour”, branding the team “wartime traitors”.
Head coach Marziyeh Jafari said after the match against the Philippines that the players were eager to return home following a turbulent week.
“We are very impatiently waiting to return,” she told reporters. “Personally, I would like to return to my country as soon as possible and be with my compatriots and family.”
Outside the stadium, the situation remained charged. Some spectators waved the pre-1979 Iranian flag and booed during the anthem, while others attempted to block the team bus from leaving the stadium. A small group chanted “Save our girls!” as security escorted the players away.
The team’s situation has drawn concern from human rights groups and political activists, who fear the players could face repercussions upon their return to Iran.
“The members of the Iranian Women’s National Football Team are under significant pressure and ongoing threat from the Islamic Republic,” Mr Pahlavi wrote on X. “As a result of their brave act of civil disobedience in refusing to sing the current regime’s national anthem, they face dire consequences should they return to Iran.”
The Iranian team's trip to Australia coincided with escalating tensions in the region following US and Israeli air strikes in the country that killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. On Monday, Iran confirmed Mr Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, will replace him.
A petition launched on Change.org calling on the Australian government to offer refuge to the team had gathered more than 51,000 signatures by Sunday evening. The petition urged Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke to prevent the team from leaving Australia “while credible fears for their safety remain”.
Mr Burke declined to comment on the petition, while Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she did not want to speculate about the team’s situation.
“This is a regime that we know has cracked down on its people,” Ms Wong said in televised remarks.
Global players’ union FIFPRO has also called on football’s governing bodies, including Fifa and the Asian Football Confederation, to ensure the safety of Iran’s players following the backlash surrounding their earlier protest.
