Member of Iranian football delegation granted Australian asylum changes her mind

Member of Iranian Football Delegation Changes Her Mind on Australian Asylum

Australia’s Immigration Minister, Tony Burke, revealed that one of two Iranian football representatives initially accepting asylum in the country has reversed her decision. “One of the two who decided to stay last night consulted with teammates who had departed and altered her choice,” Burke explained in parliamentary remarks on Wednesday.

The duo—comprising a player and a support staff member—had previously joined five other team members who were granted visas due to safety concerns. However, the remaining Iranian players exited Australia on Tuesday night, two days after their Asian Cup elimination. Burke emphasized that the decision to stay was voluntary, stating, “We respect the context of her choice, and she was given every opportunity to make it.”

“Unfortunately, she was influenced by her teammates and coach to reach out to the Iranian embassy and be collected,” Burke added. “This led the embassy to know the locations of others who opted to remain.”

Officials ensured the individual’s autonomy, with all necessary questions addressed before her final decision. Earlier, some members of the Iranian delegation had been granted asylum following their refusal to sing the national anthem in a match against South Korea. Two players, Mohaddeseh Zolfi and Zahra Soltan Meshkeh Kar, were separated from the group at their Gold Coast hotel after expressing intent to stay. They were taken to a Brisbane police station, according to Burke’s prior statement.

The team arrived at Sydney Airport from the Gold Coast on Tuesday evening. Australian-Iranian supporters gathered to welcome them, while others protested their return to Iran. Community members claimed some players had signaled for assistance. At Sydney Airport, Border Force officials held private discussions with the delegation, including one-on-one meetings with translators, and allowed them to call family before departure.

Burke noted that one person boarded the flight to Malaysia later than expected after speaking with relatives. “That individual made their own decision without pressure,” he stated. He also mentioned that a few members of the delegation were not invited to stay, likely referring to Iranian government representatives accompanying the team.

Local media reported at least one person refused to board their return flight to Iran. Some players, accompanied by chaperones, reportedly expressed willingness to go back. Meanwhile, the five players initially granted humanitarian visas were relocated to a secure area by police. Burke listed them as Fatemeh Pasandideh, Za… and others.

The team’s anthem controversy remains a focal point. While they sang in their final two games before elimination, critics suggest they were coerced by officials during the tournament. One conservative Iranian state media commentator branded them “wartime traitors,” advocating for severe consequences.

Earlier on Tuesday, activists temporarily blocked a bus carrying team members as it left the Gold Coast hotel. Protesters waved the Lion and Sun flag, Iran’s pre-revolution emblem, highlighting tensions surrounding their return. The humanitarian visa program allows refugees and those in need to live, work, and study in Australia, but the team’s families face uncertainty regarding their fate in Iran.