Iran girls footballers evacuate from protected home in Australia

[ad_1] Iranian girls footballers claiming asylum in Australia evacuated from their protected home on Wednesday after one staff member modified her thoughts and revealed their location to the Iranian embassy, Canberra mentioned.

Seven members of Iran's visiting girls's soccer delegation had sought sanctuary in Australia after they had been branded "traitors" at dwelling for refusing to sing the nationwide anthem.

However one member of the group had second ideas after chatting with different gamers who had turned down asylum in favour of returning to Iran, Australian House Affairs Minister Tony Burke mentioned.

The girl uncovered the placement of the opposite aslyum seekers when she contacted Iran's embassy in Australia.

"Because of that it meant the Iranian embassy now knew the placement of the place all people was," Burke mentioned. "I instantly gave them directions for folks to be moved and that has been handled instantly."

Australian officers had "made certain this was her determination", Burke mentioned.

There have been fears male minders travelling with the staff would possibly attempt to forestall them in search of asylum.

Change of coronary heart Burke mentioned every participant was separated from the squad at Sydney Airport and given time to mull the provide in personal.

The last-minute change of coronary heart may inflame an already tense scenario between Iran and Australia.

Members of the Iranian girls’s soccer staff are seen on their respective room balconies on the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast on March 9, 2026 © Patrick HAMILTON / AFP Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has lauded the bravery of the ladies, vowing they'd be welcomed with open arms.

However Iran's governing soccer physique has accused Australia of kidnapping the gamers and forcing them to forsake their dwelling nation towards their will.

Iranian gamers fell silent because the nationwide anthem performed forward of a match match in Australia final week, an act seen as a logo of defiance towards the Islamic republic.

A presenter on Iranian state TV branded the gamers "wartime traitors", fuelling fears they confronted persecution, or worse, in the event that they returned dwelling.

5 gamers, together with captain Zahra Ghanbari, slipped away from the staff lodge underneath the duvet of darkness to assert asylum in Australia.

Two extra staff members -- a participant and a help staffer -- had been granted asylum earlier than the staff flew out of Sydney on Tuesday night.

It was not instantly clear which of the seven had modified her thoughts.

The Asian Soccer Confederation mentioned the remainder of the Iranian squad had been at an unnamed lodge in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur whereas awaiting the subsequent leg of their lengthy journey dwelling.

The governing physique mentioned it will "present all obligatory help to the staff throughout their keep till their onward journey preparations are confirmed".

'Strict surveillance' Iranian-Australian migration agent Naghmeh Danai spoke to 5 gamers earlier this week to debate their choices to remain in Australia.

House Affairs Minister Tony Burke meets with gamers from Iran's girls's soccer staff, who've been supplied asylum in Australia. © Handout / AUSTRALIAN DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS/AFP "They had been underneath plenty of strain right here. They didn't have permission to speak to anybody," she instructed AFP on Wednesday.

"Below strict surveillance from the Iranian authorities officers inside the staff as staff leaders or inside safety," she mentioned.

Though the facet sang Iran's anthem -- an ode to the glory of the Islamic republic -- in later matches, human rights activists warned the injury was performed.

"The members of the Iranian Girls's Nationwide Soccer Workforce are underneath vital strain and ongoing risk from the Islamic Republic," mentioned Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah of Iran.