Iranian soccer team leaves Australia, with seven women staying behind

Seven women from the Iranian national soccer team remain in Australia, an Australian government official said Wednesday, as the rest of their team journeys back to a country at the center of a widening conflict in the Middle East

Seven women from the Iranian national soccer team remain in Australia, an Australian government official said Wednesday, as the rest of their team journeys back to a country at the center of a widening conflict in the Middle East.

They had arrived to play in the Asian Women’s Cup before the United States and Israel began striking Iran on Feb. 28, and were knocked out of the tournament over the weekend.

Six of the women have accepted humanitarian visas that will allow them to stay in Australia permanently, while the seventh has decided to return to Iran after all, said Tony Burke, Australia’s home affairs minister.

“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,” Burke told lawmakers in Canberra.

The woman, whom Burke did not name, was one of two people —a player and a support staff member — who had accepted Australia’s offer of help Tuesday night, in addition to five others who were granted asylum a day earlier. Burke said she changed her mind after speaking to some of the teammates who had already left, and that she had been advised to contact the Iranian Embassy and arrange to be picked up.