ĐỘI NỮ BÓNG TRÒN IRAN CÓ 5 NGƯỜI XIN TỴ NẠN ĐƯỢC ÚC NHẬN- SỐ CÒN LẠI PHẢI VỀ LẠI IRAN VÌ SỢ GIA ĐÌNH BỊ TRẢ THÙ- Số trở về sẽ mãi hối hận sau nầy vì chúng cũng sẽ không buông tha cho gia đình họ./-Mt68 

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Five Iranian football players granted asylum amid fears of persecution.

By Nassim Khadem and Maddie Nixon

 

13h ago13 hours ago

Iranian players salute during the Iranian national anthem, having previously been reprimanded for not singing it. (Getty Images: Albert Perez)

In short:

Five Iranian soccer players, who would likely have faced persecution if they returned home after their Women's Asian Cup campaign, have been granted asylum in Australia.

There had been growing fears the women, who were labelled "traitors" on Iranian state TV for not singing the national anthem before a game, would face persecution at home.

What's next?

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he is willing to provide assistance to other women in the team if they want it.

Five Iranian female soccer players who would likely have faced persecution if they returned to Iran are now safe with police and have been granted asylum.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says he met with the women last night and told them they were "welcome to stay in Australia".

"They're athletes who want to be safe and are very grateful that Australia is taking that opportunity," he said.

The US president had earlier lashed out at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, suggesting in a post on Truth Social that the women were being forced to leave Australia at a time when they could be punished back in Iran.

Iran war live updates: For the latest news on the Middle East crisis read our blog.

After a conversation with the prime minister, however, Mr Trump added: "I just spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, of Australia, concerning the Iranian National Women's Soccer Team. 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, including threats to those family members if they don't return."

Mr Burke said the women on the team had to weigh up an "incredibly difficult decision".

"Not everyone on the team will make a decision to take up the opportunity that Australia would offer them," he said.

"What matters here is that they have the best agency they can over those decisions."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government was willing to provide assistance to other women in the team, but acknowledged it was a delicate situation.

"But we say to them, if you want our help, help is here, and we will provide that," he said.

Iranian women's national football team players Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh and Mona Hamoudi refused to sing the national anthem before their opening match with South Korea at the Women's Asian Cup earlier this month.

Donald Trump criticised the Australian prime minister in a Truth Social post on Monday. (Truth Social)

Fears had been growing that the Iranian regime would target the players, who were labelled "traitors" on Iranian state TV, upon their return to their country.

The US leader praised his Australian counterpart for "doing a very good job" in a "rather delicate situation".

Now, a family member of one of the athletes, who we have agreed not to name, and activists within the Iranian Australian community have told the ABC the players have evaded the team's handlers at their accommodation in the Gold Coast and are being protected by police in Queensland.

Meanwhile, NSW anti-slavery commissioner James Cockayne called for police and government to urgently investigate potential modern slavery offences in relation to the rest of the team, saying they were being coerced into returning to Iran.

He underlined reports that said the women were not allowed out of their hotel without chaperones and said they were denied freedom of speech and freedom of movement in Australia.

"It has been widely documented that the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran uses threats and intimidation against athletes and their families to coerce athletes and suppress political opposition,"

he said.

He added: "With the Iranian women's football team facing imminent exit from Australia, I urge immediate action."

Confirming that five of the players had been able to leave their accommodation, one of the athlete's family members told the ABC: "I want to kiss the hands of everyone who helped."

"And I appreciate your sacrifices," they said.

"Five of them are leaving the team to stay. I pray to God we all go back to a free Iran soon."

Reza Pahlavi named the five players on Instagram. (Supplied: Instagram: pahlavicomms)

Reza Pahlavi, formerly Iran's crown prince, posted on Instagram that his office had "been informed that five players from the Iranian women's national football team had left the team's training camp".

"These five courageous athletes, currently in a safe location, have announced that they have joined Iran's national Lion and Sun Revolution,"

he said./-