MELBOURNE, Australia — Three additional members of Iran’s women’s soccer team who had accepted refugee visas to remain in Australia have chosen to return to their country, as stated by an Australian government minister on Sunday.
This departure leaves three out of the original seven squad members still in Australia.
“Overnight, three members of the Iranian Women’s Football Team decided to reunite with the rest of the team on their return to Iran,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke mentioned in a statement.
“After informing Australian officials of their decision, the players were provided multiple opportunities to discuss their alternatives,” Burke continued.
The Iranian team arrived in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup last month, prior to the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East on February 28.
Initially, six players and one support staff member from a squad of 26 accepted humanitarian visas to remain in Australia before the remaining Iranian group departed from Sydney to Malaysia on March 9.
One player later reversed her decision and left Australia. Three players departed Sydney for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday night, according to a government official. The rest of the team has stayed in Kuala Lumpur since leaving Australia.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported that the latest three to depart Australia included two players and the support staff member. The three were “returning to the warm embrace of their family and homeland,” the news agency stated.
Concerns regarding the team’s safety in Iran increased when the players refrained from singing the Iranian national anthem prior to their first match.
The Australian government was called upon to assist the women by Iranian organizations in Australia and by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Iranian news agency characterized the women’s return to the team as the “disgraceful failure of the American-Australian project and another setback for Trump.”
