Three members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who had ​sought asylum in Australia have decided to return to ‌Iran, Australia’s government said on Sunday.

Australia granted humanitarian visas to seven Iranian footballers last week after they sought asylum, saying they feared persecution ​if they returned home after they failed to sing ​the national anthem at a Women’s Asian Cup match.

Four ⁠of the seven members have decided to leave Australia ​so far. Another member changed her mind last week.

“After telling Australian officials ​they had made this decision, the players were given repeated chances to talk about their options,” Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said ​in a statement.

“While the Australian Government can ensure that opportunities ​are provided and communicated, we cannot remove the context in which the ‌players ⁠are making these incredibly difficult decisions,” he added.

The Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) named the players as Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Sarbali and Zahra Meshkehkar.

“After arriving in Malaysia and joining the rest ​of Iran’s women’s ​national football team, ⁠the three players will travel to Tehran in the coming days to once again be ​embraced by their families and homeland,” FFIRI added ​in ⁠a statement.

The Iranian team’s campaign in the Asian Cup started just as the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing ⁠the ​Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali ​Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament last Sunday.

-Reuters

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Australia became the first nation to qualify for next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil with a 2-1 ​win over North Korea that booked their place in the ‌Asian Cup semi-finals on Friday.

All Asian Cup semi-finalists earn automatic berths to the global showpiece, with the losing quarter-finalists to play off for two more spots ​on the Gold Coast next week.

Australia midfielder Alanna Kennedy ​scored her fifth goal at this year’s Asian Cup in ⁠the ninth minute against the North Koreans, while captain Sam ​Kerr doubled the Matildas’ lead just after the break before Chae Un-Yong ​pulled one back.

Australia will meet the winners of the match between defending champions China and Taiwan, who clash at the same Perth Rectangular Stadium on Saturday.

“I ​felt it was a really good team performance, defensively,” said Kerr. “The ​crowd was immense today, got us over the line. We’re going to need ‌them ⁠again in the semi-final.”

Kennedy has been in fine form for the 2010 champions and pounced when Kerr robbed opposing captain An Kuk-Hyang of the ball on the right side of the penalty area.

Kerr’s cut-back ​was intercepted but ​the clearance fell ⁠to Kennedy who lashed a fierce strike from the edge of the box inside the right ​post.

Kerr stretched the lead with a poacher’s goal in ​the 47th ⁠minute, swooping on a defensive mistake and thumping in another rising left-foot shot.

North Korea got their consolation goal in the 65th minute when ⁠Kim ​Kyong-Yong’s cross found Chae who slid the ​ball home.

Midfielder Emily van Egmond became Australia’s joint most capped player, joining Clare Polkinghorne ​on 169 appearances.

-Reuters

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Australian police helped two more ​members of the Iranian women’s soccer delegation slip their minders to claim asylum, but one has changed her mind ‌and decided to go back to Iran, the country’s interior minister said on Wednesday.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced in parliament the squad member’s decision to return home, after five players from the team were granted asylum a day earlier.

A player and a support staff member accepted the government’s open offer of aid on Tuesday ​evening.

“One of the two who had made the decision to stay last night had spoken to some of the teammates who ​had left, and had changed her mind,” Burke told parliament.

“In Australia, people are able to change their mind, ⁠people are able to travel. And so, we respect the context in which she has made that decision.”

It was not immediately clear who ​had decided to return to Iran.

Burke said the rest of the players have been moved to a safe location after the member contacted the ​Iranian embassy, giving away their location

Concerns about the players’ safety grew after Iranian state television labelled the team “wartime traitors” for refusing to sing the national anthem during the women’s Asian Cup match in Australia earlier this month.

The two additional members of the delegation – 21-year-old striker Mohaddeseh Zolfi and support staffer Zahra Soltan Moshkehkar – were ​removed from the rest of the team with the aid of Australian Federal Police before they boarded a domestic flight to Sydney.

Before leaving ​the country, Australian officials separated the remaining team from their Iranian minders at Sydney airport and informed them of their options before they flew out of ‌Australia. All ⁠those that made it to the airport elected to return to Iran.

“What we made sure of was that there was no rushing, there was no pressure. Everything was about ensuring the dignity for those individuals to make a choice,” Burke said during a media briefing in Canberra.

FEAR FOR FAMILIES

Burke said some players had asked him about the possibility of aiding their family members leave Iran.

“Obviously, when people are permanent residents, there ​are rights that they have in ​terms of sponsoring other family ⁠members. But all of it only becomes relevant if people can get out of Iran in the first place,” he said.

Some discussed their options with family but declined the offer to remain in Australia. The ​team has since reached Kuala Lumpur on their way to Iran.

The Iranian team’s campaign in the tournament ​started just as ⁠the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament on Sunday.

A group of Iranians living in Australia gathered to protest against the Iranian government and surrounded the players’ bus in Gold Coast when they left the ⁠hotel for ​the airport.

Many also turned up at the Sydney airport on Tuesday evening while they ​were being transferred to the international terminal, television footage showed.

The office of Iran’s general prosecutor said on Tuesday the remaining members of the team were invited back to the ​country “with peace and confidence,” Iranian media reported.

-Reuters

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