New Headline: Match of Legends: Iran's Superstars Make a Comeback to Glory
Australian immigration minister Tony Burke said on Sunday that three more members of the Iran women’s football team have opted to return to the country. Following Iran’s exit from the Women’s Asian Cup, which is being hosted by Australia, six players and one staff member claimed humanitarian asylum in Australia due to the war in the Middle East, with one individual eventually changing her mind. Israel and the United States began military strikes on Iran on February 28 that killed the nation’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and more than 1,300 civilians, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency .
Retaliatory strikes followed and a widening conflict has been triggered in the region. The Athletic reported on Monday that the players who had defected were being cared for in a safe house by Australian police. Following Iran’s 2-0 loss against the Philippines on March 8, which saw them exit the tournament, police assisted the five individuals in leaving the hotel early on Monday evening local time, according to sources with direct knowledge of the event, speaking anonymously due to the ongoing danger faced by the squad.
Sources added that the team had been made aware of their options by Australian government representatives earlier in the week. Humanitarian visas give the individuals the right to live, work, and study in Australia. However, in a statement on Sunday, Burke said that three more members of the team have chosen to return to Iran, leaving only three in Australia.
“Overnight, three members of the Iranian Women’s Football Team made the decision to join the rest of the team on their journey back to Iran,” said Burke. “After telling Australian officials they had made this decision, the players were given repeated chances to talk about their options. “Australians should be proud that it was in our country that these women experienced a nation presenting them with genuine choices and interacted with authorities seeking to help them.
While the Australian government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, we cannot remove the context in which the players are making these incredibly difficult decisions. ” The individuals involved have faced extremely difficult choices, with threats to their safety in both situations. The Iranian regime were angered by the team’s decision to not sing the national anthem for their opening Asian Cup game against South Korea.