Trump calls on Australia to grant asylum to Iranian soccer players

US President Donald Trump said he spoke with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about Iran's women's national football team, following reports that five players had sought asylum in Australia.

Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported that five players, who are in Australia for the Asian Cup, secretly left the team's hotel accommodation under the escort of Australian police, while media reports indicated that they were seeking help from the Australian government after they "liberated themselves."

After initially posting on social media that Australia was "making a terrible humanitarian mistake" if it allowed the team to be returned home, Trump later said he had spoken to Albanese and that the Australian leader was "handling this very delicate situation very well."

Trump said that the five members of the Iranian team have "already been taken care of" and that "the rest are on their way," Reuters reported.

"Some, however, feel they must return because they are concerned for the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they do not return," he said.

Australia's SBS News reported that five players from the Iranian women's national team are now under the protection of the Australian Federal Police and are seeking help from the government. The outlet cited government sources as confirming the reports, adding that Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke had traveled to Brisbane to meet with the women.

The Iranian women's participation in the Asian Cup, hosted by Australia, began just as the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated on Sunday after a 2-0 defeat by the Philippines.

In an earlier tweet, Trump said the team members would "probably be killed" if forced to return to Iran. "The United States will take them in if you don't," he added.

The Australian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's statements.

FIFPRO expresses concern

The world's professional footballers' union FIFPRO said there were serious concerns for the security of the Iranian team after the players were branded "war traitors" for refusing to sing the national anthem before a match.

The players' decision to stand in silence during the Iranian national anthem before the first match against South Korea was described by a commentator on the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Radio and Television as "the height of dishonor".

Iranian media quoted Farideh Shojaei, vice president for women's affairs at the Iranian Football Federation, as saying the team left the hotel through the back exit accompanied by police.

"We contacted the embassy, ​​the football association, the foreign ministry and all other possible addresses to see what would happen," she said. "We even spoke to the families of the five players."

Iranian media identified them as Zahra Sarbali, Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Ganbari, Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramazani-Zadeh.

It is stated that the other members of the team are still in Australia, and Shojaei said that the team planned to return to Iran via Dubai, but that the United Arab Emirates did not allow it.

It added that attempts are now expected to return the team via Malaysia and Turkey.

The Iranian national team sang the national anthem and saluted before their second match against Australia, sparking fears among human rights activists that the women were forced to do so by government overseers.

Asked whether Australia would grant asylum to the players, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Matt Thistlethwaite said the government could not discuss individual cases for privacy reasons.