IRANIAN WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM SAYS NO TO ASYLUM OFFERS

The team arrived in Australia last month, before the Iran war began Feb. 28. Iran was knocked out of the tournament over the weekend, and the squad faced the prospect of returning to a country under bombardment.

- VIKAS MISHRA

The Iranian women's soccer team left Australia without seven squad members after tearful protests of their departure outside Sydney Airport and frantic final efforts inside the terminal by Australian officials, who sought to ensure the women understood they were being offered asylum. As the team's flight time drew nearer and they passed through security, each woman was taken aside to meet alone with officials who explained through interpreters that they could choose not to return to Iran. Before the team travelled to the airport, seven women had accepted humanitarian visas allowing them to remain permanently in Australia. They were ushered to a safe location by Australian police officers. One has since changed her mind, underscoring the tense and precarious nature of their decisions.

"In Australia, people can change their mind," said Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who had hours earlier posted photos of the seven women granted humanitarian visas to his social media accounts, their identities clearly visible. After what Burke described as "emotional" meetings between the remaining women who reached the airport and Australian officials, the rest of the team declined offers of asylum and boarded their flight.

ASYLUM DRAMA CAPTURED NATIONAL ATTENTION

It was a dramatic conclusion to an episode that had gripped Australia since the Iranian team's first game at the Asian Cup soccer tournament, when they remained silent during their national anthem. The players sang the anthem before subsequent games and haven't publicly disclosed their views or explained their actions. Their silence was cast as a gesture of defiance or protest by some, and an act of mourning by others.

"When those players were silent at the start of their first match in Australia, that silence was heard as a roar all around the world," Burke said. "We responded by saying, the invitation is there. In Australia, you can be safe."