On the 10th, Australia agreed to grant visas to five Iranian women's soccer players, allowing them to stay in Australia. Previously, these players had sought asylum due to fears of persecution in Iran.
The Iranian women's national football team did not sing the national anthem during a match in Australia, raising concerns from various parties over their safety upon returning home. Figures including U.S. President Trump called on the Australian government to offer political asylum.
Trump previously posted on social media, stating that he had spoken with Australian Prime Minister Albanese: "I just spoke with Australian Prime Minister Albanese regarding the Iranian women's football team. He is handling it! Five of them have already been properly settled."
Australian Minister for Home Affairs, Burke, told reporters that the remaining players are staying in a hotel on the Gold Coast, and he added that he is also offering the rest of the team the opportunity to stay in Australia.
On the morning of the 10th, Burke told the media that he had offered humanitarian visas to the entire team. The validity period of the visas varies, but they provide at least three years of protection.
Burke: "We welcome them to stay in Australia. They are safe here and can call this place their home."
That day, in a press conference in Canberra, Albanese stated: "Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women."
He said: "They are very safe here and should feel at home."
Trump's post noted that Australia had agreed to grant asylum to some players. "However, some feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families; if they don't return, their families might face threats."
In other posts, Trump noted that if forced to return to Iran, the Iranian women's football team members "could be killed." He added: "If you do not accept them, the United States will."
The whole incident originates from March 2. At that time, the Iranian women's team participated in the Asian Cup in Australia. During the national anthem ceremony before the match against the Australian team, all players remained silent and did not sing, using collective silence as a form of protest. Since this occurred two days after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on targets inside Iran, this "silent protest" was interpreted by public opinion as a non-cooperation movement against the regime at home, or as a deep mourning for compatriots who died in the conflict.
In the early hours of the 9th, after playing their last group match, five core Iranian players eluded team monitoring officials and secretly left their hotel's base in Queensland's Gold Coast, gaining protection from Queensland police.