Australia Grants Asylum to 5 Iranian Football Players

Australia has granted asylum to five players from the Iranian national women's football team after they requested to remain in the country. The athletes, Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh, and Mona Hamoudi, were accused of treason in Iran for not singing the national anthem before a match.

Australian Immigration Minister Tony Burke confirmed that they were granted humanitarian visas, giving them the right to live, work, and study permanently in Australia. The remaining players on the team remain in Australia, with the government stating that the possibility of asylum remains open to them as well.

The issue took on an international dimension, with Donald Trump calling on Australia to offer asylum to the athletes and Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah of Iran, requesting their protection.