After Being Labeled 'Traitors,' Trump Urges Australia to Grant Asylum to Iranian Women's Footballers
US President Donald Trump on Monday called on Australia to grant asylum to members of the Iranian women's national football team and not to repatriate them after they were labeled 'traitors to the homeland'.
Trump urged the Australian government to provide protection for the players, warning that forcing them to return would be a 'grave humanitarian error.' He also affirmed the United States' readiness to receive them and grant them asylum if Australia did not take this step.
Reza Pahlavi, son of the deposed Shah of Iran, had previously called on Australia to ensure the players' safety, citing severe pressure and threats faced by the players from Iranian authorities. He warned of serious consequences they might face upon their return to the country.
In a related development, The Athletic website revealed that five players from the Iranian women's national team had escaped from their camp and were receiving care in a safe house managed by the Australian Federal Police.
The players had remained silent during the playing of the Iranian national anthem before their first match in the Asian Championship, before performing it in the subsequent two matches. This stance was interpreted as an act of rebellion, with a state television announcer describing them as 'traitors in wartime'.
