Australia grants asylum to 7 Iranian women's soccer team members — refused to sing national anthem

Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced that two more members of the Iranian women's soccer team have been issued humanitarian visas after seeking asylum. A player and a support staff member decided to stay in Australia after applying for asylum, bringing the total number of Iranian national team members granted Australian protection to seven — five players were granted asylum on Tuesday and two more on Wednesday. The asylum seekers refused to sing the Iranian national anthem at a match in Australia, citing safety concerns about returning to Iran. The refusal to sing the national anthem during wartime — when the Iranian regime is under its most severe military pressure in history — is a significant act of political dissent. Their decision to seek Australian asylum rather than risk return signals that at least some segments of Iranian society connected to the state apparatus (national sports teams) see the current regime as potentially unable to guarantee their safety. The case has drawn international attention as a human rights and diaspora story — illustrating the broader political fragility of the Iranian regime at home, even as it maintains military operations.