From CBS News: Australian authorities are being urged to help the Iranian national women’s soccer team after their exit from the Asian Cup, over fear of what might happen to them if they fly back home as scheduled amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
Before their first game of the tournament in Australia, against South Korea, the players declined to sing or salute their country’s national anthem, prompting calls for harsh punishment from conservatives back inside Iran. The Islamic Republic’s state television network branded them “traitors” and accused them of “the pinnacle of dishonor.”
In their two subsequent matches, the team sang and saluted their anthem. Alireza Mohebbi, a correspondent in Australia for the opposition Iran International news network, told Australian network ABC the players would not have done so by choice.
“It’s completely obvious that the Islamic Republic’s regime, and the security team, which is with the players in Australia, forced them to sing the anthem,” Mohebbi said.
“In the first match with South Korea they didn’t do it, but now with all the pressure and media spreading the news around the world, it’s completely obvious the regime pushed them not just to sing the anthem but to do the military salute,” Mohebbi Added. “There is no doubt.”
Following the game that effectively ended the team’s tournament participation on Sunday, Iranian fans, many of whom were carrying the flag of Iran’s pre-Islamic Republic monarchy, surrounded the team’s bus as it departed from the Gold Coast stadium.
According to The Guardian, the fans chanted “let them go” and banged on the side of the vehicle. Others held banners that read, “Stay Safe in Australia. Talk to Police” and “If your home is not safe — mine is.”
The crowd grew to about 200 people who were blocking the bus from departing.
Local police were eventually called to allow the bus to leave.
Some players inside the vehicle smiled and waved, while others filmed the scene. However, at least one player closed the curtains as the bus commenced its 15-minute journey back to their hotel.
It is not known when the players are scheduled to leave their hotel or what their next move is.
A group of Iranian community and civil society organizations reached out to Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, expressing their “deep concerns” regarding the players.
“We all have very reasonable and serious concerns for their safety,” Craig Foster, a former captain of the Australian men’s soccer team and a human rights advocate, told BBC News.
“When any team participates in a Fifa-regulated tournament, whether Asian Football Confederation or any other confederation, they must have the right to safety and external support to express any concerns they have around their safety now or in future,” Foster, who worked in 2021 to free the Afghan women’s team from the Taliban, continued.
“They’ve been held hostage by the Iranian team management in their hotel and they’ve been denied the opportunity to speak to external community members, friends, family or any support networks, be that lawyers or anyone else,” Foster said. “Some may have concerns, others may not — but what we know is most of them have families back home, some of them have children back home, and even if offered the right to remain in Australia, if they feel unsafe, many of them may not accept that opportunity.”
“What’s most important is that that offer is made,” he added.
Iranian American journalist Masih Alinejad is urging the Australian government to step in after she said the players were labeled “war-time traitors.” She says they flashed an SOS hand signal while returning to Iran.
“Hello Australia, this is your moment. We need your support. Iran’s women’s football team refused to sing the regime’s anthem right after the killing of Ali Khamenei,” she wrote in a post on X. “State TV called them ‘war-time traitors.’ Now they’re on a bus back to Iran, flashing the SOS hand signal through the window.
“I call on [the] Australian government…Don’t send them back to danger. Please give them protection,” Alinejad added.
Hello Australia, this is your moment. We need your support.
Iran’s women’s football team refused to sing the regime’s anthem right after the killing of Ali Khamenei.
State TV called them “war-time traitors.”
Now they’re on a bus back to Iran, flashing the SOS hand signal through… pic.twitter.com/HhLtEgJKkC— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) March 8, 2026
Urgent. Iran women's football team bus is at the hotel. I have credible evidence women wishing to claim asylum have been prevented from accessing a human rights lawyer. Watch, listen, share. #Iran #woso #AFC #WomensAsianCup #Auspol pic.twitter.com/gYBfWOMS06
— Tracey Holmes (@TraceyLeeHolmes) March 9, 2026
Read more at CBS News
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