Iran were eliminated from the Women's AFC Asian Cup, losing all three matches against Philippines, South Korea, and the hosts Australia. Now the team has to return to a country that labelled them "traitors" for their protest when they refused to sing the national anthem during the first game. They dropped the protest in the following two games, singing and saluting, something that many experts read as another protest after being told by the Iranian government to sing (the same happened with the men's national team in 2022).
When they left the stadium in a bus to the hotel, from where they would return to Iran, a group of anti-Iranian supporters demonstrated, chanting "Save our girls". Some media have reported that the players in the bus made SOS signs to the people outside.
Following that, a report was spread that five women from the national team escaped the security around the hotel and are looking for asylum in Australia. Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he had spoken with the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to give asylum to the players who decide to stay. Some players prefer to go back to Iran with fears of repercussion to their families.
"We are deeply concerned for their safety if they return to Iran," said Zaki Haidari of Amnesty International, to DW. "They have been labeled 'wartime traitors' on national television simply for peacefully expressing their views. In Iran, that kind of public accusation can expose people to serious punishment by the Iranian authorities."