Iranian women's soccer team players granted visas in Australia fearing punishment at home

Australia has agreed to grant visas to five members of Iran’s women’s national football team, allowing them to remain in the country after concerns that they could face punishment if they return home. The players did not sing Iran’s national anthem before their first match at the Asian Cup tournament, raising fears about their safety if they go back to Iran.

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said five of the 26 players told authorities they wanted to stay in Australia. He added that the same offer had been extended to the rest of the squad. “Australia has taken the Iranian women’s soccer team into our hearts,” the minister said in a press conference on Tuesday, March 10.

Burke said the five women were moved to a safe location by federal police. Their visa applications were finalised on Tuesday morning.


Concerns about the team’s safety had grown in recent days. The Iranian side played its final match in the tournament, hosted in Australia, on Sunday evening and had been expected to return to Iran soon after.

US President Donald Trump addressed the situation on social media. He said he had spoken with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the players.


Albanese said he received a call from Trump just before 2 a.m. on Tuesday but added that plans to offer visas to the players had already been underway for several days.

Although the Australian government has not officially released the players’ names, Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s ousted shah, identified them in a social media post as forward Zahra Ghanbari, defender Atefeh Ramezanizadeh, midfielders Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Sarbali and Mona Hamoudi.


Relations between Australia and Iran have also been tense. Australia cut diplomatic ties with Iran last year after accusing the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of organising at least two antisemitic attacks on Jewish institutions and businesses in Australia through proxy groups.