United States President Donald Trump has offered asylum to the Iranian women’s soccer team after Iranian state media called them “traitors” following the team’s refusal to sing the national anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Iranian women’s soccer team, currently in Australia for the Asian Cup, lost its final group match on Sunday and is expected to return home to Iran, amid the ongoing war between the United States, Israel and Iran.
Australia faces calls to protect the team and prevent them from returning to Iran.
In a message published on his Truth Social platform, the US president wrote: “Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the forced return of the Iranian women’s national football team to Iran, where they will most likely be killed. »
Trump urged Australia’s prime minister to offer them asylum, adding: “The United States will take them if you don’t.”
This comes after the football team refused to sing the Iranian national anthem before their first match on March 2.
They have since performed the anthem at subsequent matches, but Iranian media described the initial act of defiance as “the height of dishonor.”
A campaign is underway in Australia calling on the government to “save our girls”. An online petition calling on Australia to ensure the safety of the women’s soccer team has so far garnered more than 50,000 signatures.
The Australian government has yet to respond to the demands of the US president and human rights activists.
