US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran women’s football team could be killed after they protested the national anthem and called for them to be given asylum
US President Donald Trump has offered Iran women’s football team asylum in the United States after warning they could be killed if they return to their home country.
Iran’s women footballers protested during the national anthem of their match against South Korea last Monday as they declined to sing the anthem and performed a military salute. The players have received concerning backlash in Iran and were branded ‘traitors’ on state TV.
Following yesterday’s 2-0 defeat to the Philippines, Iran’s players are heading home with the loss knocking them out of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. And there have also been claims that some players used sign language to signal ‘SOS’ as they travelled past supporters.
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But Trump has now waded in on the situation and has called for the players not to return to Iran and instead be given asylum in Australia, where the tournament is being held, or in the US if they did not.
“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,” he wrote on Truth Social on Monday afternoon.
“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. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The Iranian women’s team has garnered support from Australian government figures. “We stand in solidarity with the men and women of Iran, and particularly Iranian women and girls,” Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong told ABC on Sunday.
“Obviously this is a regime that has brutally cracked down on its people.”
The team’s initial refusal to sing the national anthem occurred just two days after the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and was slammed by Iranian State TV presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi.
He said: “Let me just say one thing: traitors during wartime must be dealt with more severely. Anyone who takes a step against the country under war conditions must be dealt with more severely.
“Like this matter of our women’s football team not singing the national anthem, and that photo that was published and so on, which I won’t get into. Both the public and the authorities must treat these individuals as ‘wartime traitors’.
“It should not be viewed merely as an objection or a symbolic gesture. The stain of dishonour and treason must remain on their foreheads, and they must face a definitive and severe confrontation.”
Refugee Council chief executive Paul Power confessed there were concerns about the players’ safety upon their return to Iran. He commented: “Certainly on the evidence that’s available, it would appear that the members of the women’s soccer team are at risk if they’re returned.”