Five members of Iran’s women’s national soccer team have received Australian humanitarian visas after fleeing their team hotel and seeking asylum, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed Tuesday.
The announcement followed a 2 a.m. phone call with President Donald Trump, who had publicly pressed Albanese to protect the players. Trump posted on Truth Social that Australia was “making a terrible humanitarian mistake.” “The U.S. will take them if you won’t,” he wrote.
“We’re willing to provide assistance to other women in the team,” Albanese said during a news conference. “If you want our help, help is here.”
Announcement: Prince Reza Pahlavi’s office has been informed that five players from the Iranian women’s national football team: Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh, and Mona Hamoudi, have left the team’s training camp and successfully sought… https://t.co/PdBPRlJxjU
— Reza Pahlavi Communications (@PahlaviComms) March 9, 2026
The players, Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh, and Mona Hamoudi, left their team hotel with police assistance over the weekend. Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s exiled crown prince, announced on X that the athletes “have joined Iran’s national Lion and Sun Revolution.”
Anthem Refusal
The crisis began when Iranian players stood silent during their national anthem before a Women’s Asian Cup match against South Korea on March 3. The match coincided with U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iranian state media commentators called the silence the “pinnacle of dishonor.” Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi added that “traitors during wartime must be dealt with more severely.”
The players sang the anthem before subsequent matches, raising concerns among human rights advocates that government minders had coerced them.
Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref dismissed the crisis as “psychological warfare,” accusing Trump of interfering in Iranian affairs. “Iran welcomes its children with open arms,” Aref said.
After Iran’s 2-0 loss to the Philippines on Sunday, supporters surrounded the team bus chanting “Save our girls.” According to CNN, Hadi Karimi, a local human rights advocate, said supporters saw at least three players making an internationally recognized hand signal for help.
The global players’ union FIFPRO said it had been unable to contact team members directly. “Our responsibility right now is to do everything within our power to try and make sure that they’re safe,” FIFPRO Asia/Oceania President Beau Busch said.
