United States (US) President Donald Trump offered asylum to Iran’s women’s soccer team after Iranian state media called them “traitors” following the team’s refusal to sing the national anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Iran’s women’s soccer team, currently in Australia for the Asia Cup, lost its final group match on Sunday and is set to return to Iran amid the ongoing war between the United States, Israel and Iran.
Australia faces calls to protect the team and prevent them from returning to Iran.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president wrote: “Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iranian women’s national soccer team to be forced to return to Iran, where they will most likely be killed.”
Trump urged the Australian prime minister to offer them asylum, adding: “The United States will take them if you don’t.”
This comes after the football team refused to sing Iran’s national anthem before their first match on March 2.
They have since performed the anthem at subsequent matches, but Iranian media described the initial act of defiance as “the pinnacle of dishonour.”
A campaign is underway in Australia calling on the government to “save our girls.” An online petition calling on Australia to ensure the safety of the women’s football team has so far garnered more than 50,000 signatures.
The Australian government has yet to react to the demands of the US president and human rights activists.
