MELBOURNE: A fifth member of the Iranian women’s football team has departed Australia after initially accepting a humanitarian visa, leaving only two of seven original defectors in the country. The departure occurred late Sunday, according to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s office.
The team arrived in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup last month. Initially, six players and one support staffer accepted asylum. Three later reversed their decisions and left for Malaysia, where the rest of the team is based.
Assistant Immigration Minister Matt Thistlethwaite confirmed the remaining two are receiving full government support to settle. He dismissed claims that a support staffer influenced others to leave, calling those who stayed "genuine asylum seekers."
Political scientist Kylie Moore-Gilbert, a former detainee in Iran, said the regime likely pressured the athletes to return, viewing the case as a propaganda opportunity. Iranian state media hailed the returns as a defeat for US-Australian influence.
The Australian government maintains no formal diplomatic relations with Iran following 2024 arson attacks linked to the Revolutionary Guard. Iranian diaspora leaders say returning players faced intense emotional and political pressure from Tehran.