A twist has emerged in the Iranian women football asylum case, as the captain of Iran’s women’s national team has withdrawn her asylum request in Australia. Zahra Ghanbari, who had initially accepted a humanitarian visa offer, has now decided to return to Iran. According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, she will travel from Malaysia back to her home country.
The decision has drawn international attention. It also raises questions about the pressures surrounding the Iranian women’s football asylum case. Reports confirmed that Ghanbari is now the fifth member of the Iranian delegation to reverse an earlier decision to seek asylum.
Initially, seven members of the squad had accepted Australia’s humanitarian visa offer. However, after several withdrawals, only two remain in the country. Australian officials also confirmed that another member had recently dropped their application. Meanwhile, the identity of that individual was not disclosed.
The controversy began earlier this month during the Women’s Asian Cup. Concerns were raised after the Iranian women’s team remained silent during the national anthem before their opening match against South Korea.
That moment quickly sparked political tension. Critics in Iran labelled the players “wartime traitors” and demanded strict punishment. However, the team later sang the anthem during their next two matches in the tournament.
Human rights advocates have now raised serious concerns about possible pressure on the players. Shiva Amini, an exiled Iranian futsal player, claimed families of the athletes were targeted.
She wrote on X that Iran’s football authorities, along with security forces, had taken action. According to her statement, the Iranian Football Federation and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were involved.
“They had placed intense and systemic pressure on the players’ families in Iran,” Amini said.
She further explained the impact of those threats on the athletes’ decisions.
“Several of the players decided to go back because the threats against their families became unbearable and the intimidation was relentless,” she wrote.
Meanwhile, Iranian state media welcomed Ghanbari’s decision to return home. IRNA described the move as her “returning to the embrace of the homeland.” Similarly, the semi-official Mehr news agency called it a “patriotic decision.”
Iran’s sports ministry also released a statement praising the players.
Officials claimed the team’s “national spirit and patriotism” had overcome outside pressure. They further accused Australia of political interference. The ministry said the Australian government was “playing in Trump’s field.”
However, Australian leaders strongly rejected those claims. Australian minister Kristy McBain described the statements as “propaganda.”
“I think our government’s been very open with the Australian people about the steps that we’ve taken to ensure that these women in the Iranian soccer team and support staff had every opportunity to make their own decisions,” she said.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke also addressed the situation. He said the government had provided a safe opportunity for the players to decide their future.
“Australians should be proud that it was in our country that these women experienced a nation presenting them with genuine choices and interacted with authorities seeking to help them,” Burke said.
However, he acknowledged that external pressures may still influence the players.
“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.
Meanwhile, the wider Iranian squad had already left Australia earlier this month. The team departed on March 10, shortly after being eliminated from the Women’s Asian Cup.
