Post by : Bianca
Haleem
A fifth member of the Iranian women’s soccer team has withdrawn her asylum claim in Australia and will rejoin the rest of the squad in Malaysia, Australian media reported on Monday.
With this latest withdrawal, only two of the original six players, along with one support staff member, remain in Australia seeking asylum due to fears of possible persecution after failing to sing Iran’s national anthem during a recent women’s Asian Cup match.
The five players who withdrew their claims are expected to meet the team in Kuala Lumpur, where the squad has been staying since leaving Sydney last week.
Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Matt Thistlethwaite, said the government respected the players’ decision to return to Iran while continuing to support those still in Australia.
“This is a very complex situation,” Thistlethwaite said.
The team cannot immediately return to Tehran due to the ongoing Middle East conflict, according to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The Iranian Football Association stated that the squad is expected to leave Malaysia soon to reunite with their families.
AFC General Secretary Windsor John told reporters the team is waiting for flight connections and may consider alternative destinations before returning to Iran. He added that the players had not expressed safety concerns and were in good spirits.
The Iranian women’s team’s Asian Cup campaign coincided with recent regional airstrikes, and the team was eliminated from the tournament last week.
U.S. President Donald Trump praised Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for allowing the players to stay and offered U.S. support if Australia could not accommodate them.
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