The federal government has told members of the Iranian women's football team that "they are safe" in Australia, offering protection to its players, including five who broke free from Iranian security overnight.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke flew to Brisbane on Sunday to meet with women from the team who had expressed a desire to stay in Australia.
On Monday night, five of the women broke free from their Iranian security minders and were moved to a safe location by the Australian Federal Police.
Burke revealed that he had offered the entire team humanitarian visas, which vary in length but should provide at least three years of protection.
"They're welcome to stay in Australia, they're safe here, and feel at home here," Burke told reporters on Tuesday morning.
"These women are great athletes, great people, and they're going to feel very much at home in Australia."
He said the reaction was "joy" and "relief", with the women "excited to embark on a life in Australia".
"Every woman on the team will make a decision to take up the opportunity that Australia would offer to them," Burke said.
The Australian Federal Police and Queensland Police declined to comment.
The team has been in Australia for the Women's Asian Cup and was staying at a hotel on the Gold Coast under heavy guard by Iranian security.
A source told SBS News last week that the women weren't able to walk around the hotel unaccompanied and were escorted to a conference room to eat their meals.
There had been fears the women could face retribution upon their return to Iran for refusing to sing the national anthem before their tournament-opening game against South Korea — widely viewed as a silent protest.
Amnesty International Australia strategic campaigner Zaki Haidari welcomed the development for the five women, but expressed concerns over the safety of the rest of the team.
“Australia has clear obligations under the Refugee Convention to protect people who have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country," Haidari said in a statement.
"We hope the government continues to uphold these obligations when considering protection for others fleeing persecution and conflict within the region."
Albanese confirms 2am call with Donald Trump
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had a "warm" discussion with United States President Donald Trump, centred around the welfare of the five women, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
"He was concerned about the Iranian women in the soccer team and their welfare and their safety if they returned home," Albanese told reporters in Canberra.
"I was able to convey to him the action that we'd undertaken over the previous 48 hours, and that five of the team had asked for assistance and had received it, and were safely located."
Albanese refused to go into the specifics of the conversation but noted it included Australia's four-week deployment of the RAAF E-7A Wedgetail aircraft and missiles to help protect the Gulf states in the region.
Trump also praised the call with Albanese, during which he mentioned concerns about the safety of the families of the women if they don't return.
"In any event, the prime minister is doing a very good job having to do with this rather delicate situation. God bless Australia!" Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
In an earlier post, Trump had urged Australia to grant the women asylum and said the US would otherwise take them.
"Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran national women's soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed," he said.
The development follows growing calls, including from some members of the federal opposition, for the government to intervene and offer the players asylum.
After their 2-0 defeat to the Philippines on Sunday, which ended their tournament, protesters blocked the team bus for about 15 minutes as it attempted to leave the venue.
Demonstrators banged on the side of the vehicle and chanted "let them go", prompting police to intervene and push back a crowd of about 200 people.
As the bus slowly pulled away, some players were seen taking photos of the protest.
Before that match, the Iranian players and coaches again sang the national anthem and displayed a military salute.
"We want to come back to Iran as soon as we can," coach Marziyeh Jafari said.
"I want to be with my country and with Iranians at home in Iran. We are eager to come back."
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