Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed this morning that five members of Iran’s national women’s football team have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia, following reports that the group sought asylum amid safety concerns back home.
The players were in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup on the Gold Coast and reportedly had been under tight surveillance at their team hotel before approaching Australian authorities for help. SBS News reported that the Australian Federal Police and Queensland Police were involved in relocating the players to a safe location, though both agencies have declined to comment.
At a press conference in Brisbane, Burke said the women made contact with the government “in earnest” early Monday as officials explored “the maximum number of opportunities” to support them. He confirmed that their visa applications were finalised overnight.
“I signed off last night for their applications to go on to humanitarian visas,” Burke said.
“And a little bit after 1:30am this morning, the processing was completed by the Department of Home Affairs. The women are welcome to stay in Australia, that they are safe here, and they should feel at home here.”
Burke added that the remaining squad members, who have not sought asylum, will still have the opportunity to do so.
The confirmation followed a flurry of attention after US President Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social that he had spoken directly to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the team, saying, “I just spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, of Australia, concerning the Iranian National Women’s Soccer Team. He’s on it! Five have already been taken care of.”
Trump said some players were too afraid to stay due to concerns for their families’ safety, adding, “Some, however, 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.”
Burke confirmed the call between Trump and Albanese had taken place, saying the US President’s intervention reflected what “many good people have been thinking”.
“Everybody’s been looking at this situation and saying, surely, is there something we can do?” Burke said. “We’ve been making sure that we had the options, that the women had the opportunity to come forward … but this was a difficult decision for them, and I think we all understand exactly why.”
The Iranian players’ welfare has been a growing concern since the start of the tournament. The Australian Iranian Council and community groups had urged the government to ensure none of the players were forced to return until their safety could be guaranteed. An online petition calling for protection for the team drew more than 50,000 signatures before the final match on Sunday.
Their performances on the pitch had also drawn international attention after several players appeared to stand silently during Iran’s national anthem before an early match against South Korea. The act was interpreted by some as a quiet protest amid the escalating war in the Middle East, though the team did not comment publicly on the gesture.
Burke said meeting the five players was “such a privilege”.
“I don’t want to begin to imagine how difficult that decision is for each of the individual women, but certainly last night, it was joy, it was relief, and people were very excited about embarking on their life in Australia,” he said.
Lead image: Getty
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