Israel asks Australia for asylum for Iranian soccer players

Israel asked Australia on Monday to grant asylum to the Iranian soccer players in the country, who are reportedly labeled as traitors by the regime's officials after deciding not to sing the Iranian national anthem during their first match in Australia.

The Iranian women's soccer national team travelled to Australia to compete in the Women’s Asian Cup and decided not to sing the Iranian anthem at the beginning of their first match last Monday. This prompted treason accusations from hardliners within the Iranian regime and a global outcry to grant asylum to the players in Australia.

"I am writing to you with urgency and deep concern following appeals from members of the Iranian women's national football team, who are seeking international assistance in order to avoid returning to Iran a country where there is a real threat to their freedom and even to their lives," the Innovation, Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel said in a letter to the Australian ambassador in Israel.

"The players have expressed profound fear of persecution, oppression, and personal harm should they be forced to return to their homeland. They are asking for the opportunity to live in safety, freedom, and dignity, fundamental values upon which the world's leading democracies are built," the letter continued. "These are courageous women who seek only the most basic right to live without fear."

Reuters reported on Monday that US President Donald Trump said Australia was "making a terrible humanitarian mistake" by allowing Iran's national women's soccer team to be sent back to Iran and called on the Australian government to give asylum to team members.

Pahlavi says five players safe with Australian police

Five of the players who travelled to Australia are under the care of the Australian police, according to a statement shared by Iran's Crowned Prince Reza Pahlavi.

"We would like to inform our compatriots and the media that five players of the Iranian women's national football team, Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramezani Zadeh, and Mona Hamoudi, have managed to leave the team's camp and seek asylum in Australia," they said in the statement.

According to a CNN report, the Iranian players were forced to sing the national anthem during the second and third matches of the tournament, and they also had to perform a military salute.

After the third game, which ended in a 2-0 loss to the Philippines and meant an early exit from the tournament, only a video of fans trying to stop the bus from taking the players to their hotel appeared.

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