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Three of the six Iranian soccer players who accepted asylum in Australia are returning to Iran, according to Tina Kordrostami, councilor for the Australian city of Ryde.
Kordrostami told Pak Gazette Channel’s “Fox Report With Jon Scott” on Saturday that all three players will return, calling it a “disturbing update” but could not explain the exact reasons.
“They are heavily intimidated and the regime communicates with them directly,” Kordrostami said.
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Iranian players react during their national anthem before a Women’s Asian Cup soccer match against the Philippines in Robina, Australia, March 8, 2026. (Image by Dave Hunt/AAP via AP)
When asked if the players are being threatened, Kordrostami said: “I don’t believe that, I know that.
“I know even families have been detained. I know there are family members missing. One thing I would really like people in the West to understand is that Iranians inside the country have in many ways renounced the West and only depend on each other to survive this regime.
“That’s why when we offer them a way out, it’s not so easy for them to understand that it’s actually a way out. They are more used to depending on each other and this is survival for them.”
Kordrostami added that women who return face potentially serious consequences.
“We are very worried about them. We know for a fact that they will not be safe. I have mentioned it before. When you break a contract as an athlete in Iran, you can face the death penalty. So I know these women are young. I know they are making an incredibly difficult decision and I have the utmost respect for them,” he said.
“Coercion is used here, intimidation tactics. And we even had one individual among the girls in Sydney and Brisbane who was constantly influencing them in their ears, letting them know that whatever Australia offers them, it won’t work.
The team arrived in Australia before Israel and the The United States launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28. The attacks led to the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
IRAN’S WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM REFUSES TO SING NATIONAL ANTHEM IN SILENT PROTEST AT ASIAN CUP
iranian players He refused to sing his national anthem before an initial defeat to South Korea on March 2, which was seen by some as an act of resistance described by one Iranian commentator as the “pinnacle of dishonour”.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced at a press conference on Tuesday that another Iranian female soccer player and a member of the team’s staff had asylum accepted in Australia for fear of being punished upon returning to Iran after five players accepted asylum on Sunday.
Burke added that almost all iranian players and many support staff were taken individually as they passed through Australian Customs at an airport before boarding their flight back to Iran.
And each of them were given the opportunity to accept an offer of asylum without the presence of Iranian state officials, but other players or staff accepted the offer to stay.
The asylum offers came amidst Increased pressure from President Donald Trump. and Iranian groups in Australia.
“Australia is making a terrible humanitarian error by allowing the Iranian women’s national soccer team will be forced to return to Iran, where they will most likely be killed. Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. “America will accept them if you don’t,” Trump wrote in Truth Social.
Trump later wrote: “I just spoke with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia about the Iranian women’s national soccer team.
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Iranian players during their national anthem before a Women’s Asian Cup soccer match against the Philippines in Robina, Australia, on March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP)
“He’s on it! Five have already been cared for and the rest are on the way. Some, however, feel they must return because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they do not return. In any case, the Prime Minister is doing a very good job in this rather delicate situation. God bless Australia!”
Iran head coach Marziyeh Jafari was quoted by Australia’s national news agency that the team wants to “return to Iran as soon as we can.”
