US President Donald Trump has urged Australia to grant asylum to members of the Iran Women’s National Football Team, warning that forcing them to return to Iran could place them in serious danger.
The appeal came after reports that several Iranian players sought refuge while participating in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 tournament.
In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump warned that deporting the players back to Iran could threaten their safety.
“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,” Trump wrote.
Iran Eliminated From AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026
The Iranian women’s team was knocked out of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 after suffering three consecutive defeats in the tournament.
Their results included:
- 3–0 loss to South Korea Women’s National Football Team on March 2
- 4–0 defeat against Australia Women’s National Soccer Team on March 5
- 2–0 loss to Philippines Women’s National Football Team on March 8
Following these losses, Iran was eliminated from the competition.
Five Iranian Players Reportedly Seek Refuge In Australia
According to a statement shared by the office of exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, five players from the national team have reportedly left the team’s training camp and sought refuge in Australia.
The players named in the statement include:
- Fatemeh Pasandideh
- Zahra Ghanbari
- Zahra Sarbali
- Atefeh Ramazanzadeh
- Mona Hamoudi
The statement said the athletes were currently in a safe location and had declared their support for the Lion and Sun Revolution, a movement associated with Iranian opposition groups.
Rising Political Tensions In West Asia
The situation comes amid escalating tensions across West Asia following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in joint military strikes reportedly carried out by the United States and Israel on February 28.
The strikes also killed several senior leaders of the Islamic Republic.
In response, Tehran launched retaliatory attacks targeting American military bases in several Arab countries as well as Israeli assets in the region. Israel and the United States have since continued military operations, with fighting expanding to Lebanon, including strikes against Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed groups.
Mojtaba Khamenei Named Iran’s New Supreme Leader
Amid the ongoing conflict, the Assembly of Experts, the clerical body responsible for appointing Iran’s supreme leader, announced the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late leader.
The 56-year-old cleric has now become the third Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, marking a major political transition in the country.
Growing International Attention
The combination of political instability, regional conflict and reports of athletes seeking asylum has drawn international attention to the safety of the Iranian women’s football team.
With calls for humanitarian protection now coming from global leaders, the situation surrounding the players may soon become a diplomatic issue between multiple countries.