President Trump thanked Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for agreeing to provide asylum for those on the Iranian national women’s soccer team. Earlier on Monday, he urged Albanese to do so, declaring that the United States will take the players if Australia did not.
“I just spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, of Australia, concerning the Iranian National Women’s Soccer Team. He’s on it! Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way,” President Trump wrote. “Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don’t return. In any event, the Prime Minister is doing a very good job having to do with this rather delicate situation. God bless Australia!”
His earlier comment on Truth Social read, “Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman’s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed. Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. The U.S. will take them if you won’t. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi announced on X that Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh, and Mona Hamoudi left the team’s training area and “successfully sought refuge in Australia.”
“These five courageous athletes, currently in a safe location, have announced that they have joined Iran’s national Lion and Sun Revolution,” Pahlavi’s communication page added.
Concerns for the players’ safety were also voiced by Beau Busch, the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPRO) President for Asia and Oceania. “The reality at the moment is that we’re unable to get in touch with the players,” he told reporters, as per Reuters. “That’s incredibly concerning. That’s not a new thing. That’s really been since the repression really dialed up in February, January. So we’re really concerned about the players, but our responsibility right now is to do everything within our power to try and make sure that they’re safe.”
