03/09/26 03:19:00
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03/09 15:17 CDT Australia grants asylum to 5 members of the Iranian women's
soccer team, official says
Australia grants asylum to 5 members of the Iranian women's soccer team,
official says
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) --- Australia has granted asylum to five members of
the Iranian women's soccer team who were visiting the country for a tournament,
Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Tuesday.
The women were transported from their hotel in Gold Coast, Australia "to a safe
location" by Australian federal police officers in the early hours of Tuesday
morning local time.
There, they met with Burke and the processing of their humanitarian visas
finalized, the minister told reporters in Brisbane hours later.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.
President Donald Trump said Monday that Australia's prime minister is helping
Iran's women's national soccer team after Trump urged the U.S. ally to grant
the players asylum rather than send them back to Iran.
The Iranian team arrived in Australia for the Women's Asian Cup last month,
before the Iran war began. The team was knocked out of the tournament over the
weekend and was facing the prospect of returning to a country under
bombardment. Iran's head coach Marziyeh Jafari on Sunday said the players "want
to come back to Iran as soon as we can," according to Australia's national news
agency, AAP.
Earlier Monday, Trump had blasted Australia on social media, saying Australia
was "making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the ... team to be
forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed."
Trump called on Australia to grant the team asylum, adding: "The U.S. will take
them if you won't."
Less than two hours later, in another social media post, Trump praised
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, saying, "He's on it! Five have
already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way."
It was unclear what steps the Australian government was taking to help the team.
Trump also said that some players "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."
Trump's offer of asylum represents something of a change for the president,
whose administration has sought to limit the number of immigrants who can
receive asylum for political purposes.
During the tournament, the players have mostly declined to comment on the
situation at home, although Iran forward Sara Didar choked back tears in a news
conference on Wednesday as she shared their concerns for their families,
friends and all Iranians during the conflict.
The team's silence during the anthem before an opening loss to South Korea last
week was viewed by some as an act of resistance and others as a show of
mourning. The team hasn't clarified. They later sang and saluted during the
anthem before their remaining two matches.
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