Australia grants asylum to five Iranian football players — as it happened

Here's a brief recap of Tuesday's key developments:

• Five players from the Iranian women's football team are now under the protection of the Australian Federal Police and have been granted asylum by the federal government
• A bus carrying the remaining players left the team's Gold Coast hotel with a police escort at about 2pm, heading to Gold Coast Airport. The team is expected to travel to Sydney before flying to Iran
• The United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, said it is concerned about the escalating hostilities in Lebanon and their impact on children. The agency reported at least 83 children have been killed and 254 wounded since 2 March
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Australia will deploy an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft and missiles to the Gulf, describing the move as defensive and aimed at supporting partner efforts
• President Donald Trump said the country's war with Iran was "very complete" and that the US was ahead of his initial timeframe. He made the comments in an interview with CBS News
• And David Littleproud resigned as leader of the Nationals but will remain a member of parliament

Thank you for following our coverage today. We'll resume the live blog in the morning.

— David Smith

A group of protesters has blocked a bus believed to be carrying members of the Iranian women’s football team.

The team, which 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, is believed to be returning to Iran. The bus carrying the team departed for Gold Coast Airport this afternoon with a police escort. The team is expected to fly to Sydney in preparation for departure to Iran.

— David Smith

Qantas has announced that it will increase the price of its international fares as the rising costs associated with the war in the Middle East — like the skyrocketing price of jet fuel — begin to bite.

Jet fuel prices have risen by up to 150 per cent in the fortnight since the war began. Despite its hedging, Qantas says, that volatility is driving up costs across its group of companies.

As a result, Qantas says that international fare prices will rise this week, though the price hikes would-be passengers can expect will vary route to route.

Qantas doesn't operate any flights to the Middle East. Its European-bound flights have continued to operate as scheduled, stopping in Singapore for refuelling. Its these high-demand, long-haul European fares that will bear the brunt of the price hikes. Qantas says these fares, particularly the cheaper ones, are currently selling much more quickly than usual.

— David Smith

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has issued a very short, very blunt statement about its involvement in Australia offering visas to five members of the Iranian women's football team, which it refers to as Operation Harbour:

For the past 72 hours the AFP has been providing assistance to Home Affairs in relation to the Iranian women’s football team under Op Harbour.

The AFP has long and enduring relationships with the Iranian diaspora through the AFP’s Community Liaison Teams.

The AFP acknowledges the community leaders, not-for-profit groups and ordinary Australians for their assistance and advocacy in this matter.

— David Smith

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told US broadcaster PBS News that his country is prepared to continue missile attacks and that negotiations with the United States are "no longer on the agenda."

Araghchi told PBS News that Iran is prepared to continue attacks for as long as necessary and has ruled out talks after President Donald Trump said the war with Iran would be over "very soon".

— David Smith, Agence France-Presse

UN chief Antonio Guterres's office warned Monday of "serious environmental consequences" from recent strikes on oil facilities and desalination plants in the Middle East, saying they pose significant threats to air quality and drinking water.

"We continue to raise the alarm over the humanitarian impact of escalating violence across parts of the Middle East, which is driving rising civilian casualties, damage to civilian infrastructure and growing displacement of people," the secretary-general's spokesman Stephane Dujarric told a press conference.

He added that the United Nations was "particularly concerned by the number of reports of recent strikes on oil facilities, which could have serious environmental consequences across the region, with immediate possible impacts on safe water, on air that people need to breathe, and on food."

Bahrain's interior ministry had said Sunday that an Iranian drone attack also damaged a water desalination plant, which is essential infrastructure for the country's economy and drinking water supplies.

"We reiterate again that all possible precautions must be taken to protect civilians from the impact of hostilities and to avoid damage to health facilities, schools, water systems and other essential infrastructure," Dujarric said.

Several oil facilities in Iran were targeted by Israeli strikes Sunday, and Iran has also launched strikes on oil facilities in the region.

— David Smith, Agence France-Presse.

A bus carrying members of the Iranian football team has left their Gold Coast hotel shortly after 2:00 pm.

Supporters have told SBS News they expect the group to fly from Coolangatta to Sydney, where they will transfer onto flights to return to Iran.

— Naveen Rasik

If you're just joining us, here's a quick recap of the day so far:

• Five players from Iran's national women's football team who are in Australia for the Asian Cup have been granted asylum overnight, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke saying the offer is also open to other members of the team
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed Australia will send an RAAF aircraft and missiles to the Gulf to protect Australians and other civilians in the region, saying it is a strictly defensive deployment
• United States President Donald Trump has been making some comments today about when the war might end, saying developments are happening quicker than the four-to-five week timeline he initially gave, but threatening a large attack against Iran should they block the flow of oil
• Iran's Revolutionary Guards appeared to respond to that suggestion in a statement, saying they will be the ones to determine when the war ends and that not "one litre of oil" will be exported from the region if the US and Israel continue attacking Iran

— Alex Gallagher

Iran's Revolutionary Guards say they will be the ones to "determine the end of the war" in the Middle East — an apparent response to United States President Donald Trump's suggestion the conflict could end "very soon".

"The equations and future status of the region are now in the hands of our armed forces; American forces will not end the war," the group — which makes up part of Iran's armed forces — said in a statement on Tuesday, according to state media.

Media quoted the group's spokesperson saying that Iran would not allow "one litre of oil" to be exported from the region if the US and Israel continue attacking Iran.

Tankers anchored in the strait of Hormuz. The waterway is a vital route for much of the west’s oil. Source: Undefined / Barry Iverson/Alamy

That came after Trump threatened Iran with an attack of "incalculable" size if it blocks supplies of oil.

The war has effectively shut the vitally important Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes.

After the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran earlier this month, the Revolutionary Guards issued warnings against vessel passage through the strait.

— Alex Gallagher

Since the war in the Middle East erupted on 28 February, there have been at least 1,700 casualties.

Those figures — reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP) — are based on numbers released by governments, militaries, health authorities and rescue organisations in the affected countries.

Here's how many casualties have been reported in each nation.

Iran's health ministry said on Monday that more than 1,200 people have been killed, including around 200 women and 200 children under the age of 12.

More than 10,000 civilians have been injured.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) put that number even higher. They said on Monday that at least 1,708 people have been killed, including 1,205 civilians — among them at least 194 children — as well as 187 military personnel and 316 people whose status has not been classified.

Israeli first responders and the country's military have reported 13 people in total killed in Israel.

Nine of the dead were killed in a strike on the city of Beit Shemesh, including four children. Two soldiers were killed in combat in southern Lebanon, the Israeli military said.

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Lebanon's health ministry said on Monday that 486 people have been killed and 1,313 wounded during a week of strikes. On Sunday, it said that an earlier death toll of 394 people included 83 children and 42 women.

Authorities in Gulf states and the US Central Command have reported 23 people killed in neighbouring states since the start of the Iranian attacks.

Most of those killed were military or security personnel, including seven US service members, and 10 civilians.

Kuwait's military and health ministry have reported six deaths: two Kuwaiti soldiers, two border guards and two civilians, one of them an 11-year-old girl.

The United Arab Emirates defence ministry and Dubai's media office have reported six deaths. They include four civilians and two military personnel who died in a helicopter crash.

Saudi Arabia's civil defence agency has reported two civilian deaths; Bahrain's interior ministry has reported two deaths; Oman's maritime security centre reported the death of a mariner at sea; and Qatar's ministry of interior has reported 16 injuries and no fatalities.

Pro-Iran fighters in Iraq said 16 of their members havr been killed in air strikes they blamed on Israel and the United States.

In Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, authorities said one airport guard was killed in a drone attack on Erbil airport, while at least two Iranian Kurdish fighters were killed in Iranian strikes.

No deaths have been reported in Jordan, but Jordan's military spokesman Brigadier General Mustafa Hayari said 14 people have been injured in various parts of the country due to falling debris from Iranian missiles and drones.

— Alexandra Koster, Agence France-Presse

Heimo Schirgi, the chief operating officer for the FIFA World Cup 2026, says the tournament is "too big" to be postponed because of conflict in the Middle East.

Speaking in Dallas, Schirgi said FIFA is closely monitoring the "developing" situation.

"We basically take it day by day, and at some stage we will have a resolution."

But Schirgi said this year's World Cup — which starts on 11 June and will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada — will "obviously" go ahead.

"The World Cup is too big and we hope that everyone can participate that has qualified."

Schirgi's comments come as the Iraq team coach Graham Arnold urges FIFA to postpone Iraq's scheduled playoff in Mexico on 31 March, as Iraqi airspace is closed until 1 April and the squad is unable to travel.

"If the game goes ahead in Mexico we have the difficulties of getting out of Baghdad," Arnold old CNN. "About 60 per cent of my players play in Iraq, all my backroom staff live in Iraq, all my medical staff live in Qatar, and we're having trouble getting Mexican visas at this moment," he added.

Arnold said he had already been forced to cancel a training camp in the US.

"That has all been scrapped now, because we can't get out of Baghdad," he said. "FIFA need to obviously make a quick decision on this because it is a bit unfair at this moment, with what we would have to go through."

— Associated Press, Agence France-Presse

United States President Donald Trump has been giving a speech at a Republican conference in Florida, where he has spoken about the war in the Middle East.

Trump said the war could end soon — without giving a clear timeframe — but threatened a larger attack on Iran if it blocks supplies of oil, saying they'll "get hit at a much, much harder level", and insisted the offensive would continue "until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated".

"We've already won in many ways, but we haven't won enough."

Trump had initially said the war, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran about a week and a half ago, would continue for about a month. But the US president said in an interview with CBS earlier today the war was "very complete, pretty much", earlier than he had anticipated.

READ MORE

PM says Australia will deploy RAAF plane and missiles to Gulf to protect civilians

During the conference in Florida, Trump also said the US was investigating a deadly strike on a school in the opening days of the war, which Iran said killed more than 150 people.

"That's being investigated right now," Trump said. "Whatever the report shows, I'm willing to live with that report."

Trump added that he did not "know enough about" the strike, while also suggesting without evidence that Iran may have used a Tomahawk missile — a weapon it does not possess — to hit the school itself.

— Alex Gallagher, Agence France-Presse

The Asylum Seekers Centre has welcomed the decision to grant humanitarian visas to five Iranian football players, but says it should just be the start.

"This is a compassionate and practical step that recognises the serious risks many Iranian people face if they are forced to return to Iran," Asylum Seekers Centre CEO Elijah Buol said.

"But this moment should be the start, not the end. It must shine a light on the many Iranian people seeking asylum already living in our community who remain in limbo, waiting for certainty and protection."

"Protection should not rely on having a platform. Safety must not be contingent on the presence of TV cameras."

It has called on the Australian government to ensure Iranian people seeking asylum in Australia have access to "safety, fair processes, and a clear pathway to permanent protection".

READ MORE

'Joy' and 'relief' for Iranian women's soccer team offered new life in Australia

The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) also welcomed the decision and said it recognised serious safety concerns the players could face if forced to return to Iran.

"Granting protection to these players acknowledges the very real risks they could face if they were forced to return home," RCOA co-CEO Paul Power said. "Australia’s protection system exists for exactly these kinds of situations, to ensure that people who face serious harm if returned to their country have the opportunity to seek safety and have their claims properly considered."

Amnesty International Australia said it was concerned for the safety of the remaining members of the team. It says the players face significant risks if returned to Iran, including potential detention, reprisals by Iranian authorities, and risks to the safety of their families.

Corruption and treason can be punishable by death in Iran.

Supporters attempted to block a bus transporting Iran's women's team after their Asian Cup exit. Source: AAP / Dave Hunt

"Australia has clear obligations under the Refugee Convention to protect people who have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country," said Zaki Haidari, a campaigner at Amnesty International Australia. "We hope the government continues to uphold these obligations when considering protection for others fleeing persecution and conflict within the region."

"We thank the Australian public and international supporters who have shown solidarity with the Iranian Women’s Soccer Team, offering their support and advocating for them to be welcomed and allowed to remain in Australia," Haidari said.

"We celebrate the courage of these women and commend their bravery in peacefully speaking out for their rights."

— Alexandra Koster

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has urged any remaining Australians in the Middle East who wish to leave to "do so now", warning the security situation is "deteriorating".

"There are many more Australians still in the Middle East, and we do understand these are difficult decisions for Australians and their families ... [but] we encourage those who wish to leave to do so now," she says.

"Do so while commercial flights are still available."

She says that as of Tuesday morning, 2,600 Australians had returned from the region on commercial flights.

More than 27,000 flights to and from the Middle East have been cancelled since 28 February.

Penny Wong says 2,600 Australians have returned from the region on commercial flights. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas

Wong said the "overwhelming majority" of Australians who were travelling in the Middle East and became stranded when the war broke out have now returned home.

"Yesterday, we saw the first flight from Qatar direct to Australia land safely. We hope to see further flights in the coming days," Wong said.

But she said the security situation was "deteriorating".

"It is likely to get worse before it gets better. We've also been focused on trying to offer options to Australians where no flights were involved."

— Alexandra Koster

Energy Minister Chris Bowen has reiterated his plea to Australians not to panic-buy fuel and said Australia has 32 days of reserve petrol.

"I can say that our diesel and petrol supplies remain, at this point, secure. We have as much diesel in Australia today as we had before this crisis began," Bowen says.

"We are seeing a big increase in demand, particularly for diesel, and I understand why Australians are concerned. But my key message is that every single expected arrival of diesel supply in recent days and expected in coming days and weeks has arrived on schedule as expected.

"There is no need for panic buying."

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Shipping has been disrupted with the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil corridors.

Oil companies have been accused of jacking up the price of fuel as the average price of unleaded petrol soared past $2 a litre in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on Monday.

Meanwhile, share markets have fallen as the inflationary jolt from surging oil prices threatens to raise living costs and interest rates around the globe, while investors desperate for liquidity flee ‌to the US dollar.

— Alexandra Koster, Australian Associated Press

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says a 2am phone call with United States President Donald Trump was "very positive" and centred around Australia granting asylum to five Iranian football players.

"He was concerned about the Iranian women in the soccer team and their welfare and their safety if they returned home," Albanese says. "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."

Asked about whether the conversation also included details about Australia's military deployment in the region, Albanese said: "It was a warm conversation between myself and President Trump, primarily about the Iranian soccer team, but obviously we also discussed war events and the four-week deployments."

Albanese announced this morning that Australia would be sending an RAAF E-7A Wedgetail aircraft and missiles to the Gulf to protect Australians and other civilians in the region.

He later said that "President Trump is very optimistic" about the war.

— Alexandra Koster

Tony Burke has shared photos taken when he met with five members of Iran's women's football team last night.

The images show the home affairs minister and footballers in a hotel room, with Burke signing documents.

"Last night I was able to tell five women from the Iranian women's soccer team that they are welcome to stay in Australia, to be safe and have a home here," Burke captioned the post.

Source: Instagram / @tony_burke_au

Source: Instagram / @tony_burke_au

— Alex Gallagher

The deployment of the E-7A Wedgetail is intended to help "protect and defend Australians and other civilians", Anthony Albanese says.

Defence Minister Richard Marles says the aircraft would be leaving Australia today.

"The expectation is that it will be in the region in the middle of the week and operational by the end of the week."

The Wedgetail is an airborne early warning and control aircraft with long-range reconnaissance capability.

Michael Shoebridge, director of defence and security think tank Strategic Analysis Australia, told SBS News an E-7A Wedgetail could be deployed to "help direct interceptors and counter drone systems".

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Australia's 'bare cupboard': What it can — and can't — offer the Gulf

Marles added that Australia would be supplying missiles to the UAE: "We have also received a request from the UAE to supply advanced, medium-range air missiles and ramps, and we will be supplying a number of those to the UAE."

The UAE has been forced to shoot down over 1,500 drones and rockets, Albanese says.

"These are defensive weapons. I want to make that clear," Marles says. "It is for the defence of the countries in the Gulf, and particularly UAE, where there are significant numbers of Australians who reside.

"We are really pleased to be able to make this contribution."

— Alexandra Koster and Ewa Staszewska

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced Australia will send an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft and missiles to the Gulf in what he says is in a defensive capacity.

"We’re taking defensive action to support our partners' efforts to keep Australians safe. Deployed ADF assets will operate according to the right of collective self-defence," Albanese said during a press conference in Canberra this morning.

"Australia will deploy an E-7A Wedgetail to the Gulf to help protect and defend Australians and other civilians. The Wedgetail will provide long-range reconnaissance capability, which will help to protect and secure the airspace above the Wedgetail and supporting Australian Defence Force personnel will be deployed for an initial four weeks in support of the collective self-defence of Gulf nations."

— Alexandra Koster

The women from Iran's national football team who have been granted humanitarian visas have been identified.

According to the Department of Home Affairs, the women are midfielders Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Sarbali Alishah, Mona Hamoudi and team captain Zahra Ghanbari, as well as defender Atefeh Ramezanizadeh.

During his press conference this morning, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the women were happy to have their names and faces reported.

"They have asked that they be reported for who they are, and they wanted to make clear they are not political activists, they're athletes who want to be safe, and are very grateful that Australia's making that opportunity for them," Burke said.

— Alex Gallagher