Petition urges Australia to allow Iranian women’s soccer team to stay after Asian Cup ouster

A petition with 50,000 signatures urges Australia’s government to allow the Iranian women’s soccer team to stay Down Under after it was eliminated from the Women’s Asian Cup today.

The Iranian women’s squad arrived in Australia for the continental championship last month, before the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on the Iranian regime on February 28.

Teams ousted during the group stage usually leave within days but organizers have not announced details for the departure of the Iran delegation.

Their silence during the anthem before an opening loss to South Korea last Monday was viewed by some as an act of resistance and others as a show of mourning. The team hasn’t clarified. But the players sang the anthem and saluted during the national anthem ahead of their 4-0 loss to Australia last Thursday and a 2-0 loss to Philippines today.

Amid concerns for player welfare following reported criticism in the Iranian media, the Australian Iranian Council writes to Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke urging the government to protect the squad members while they’re in Australia.

It has launched an online petition, which had more than 50,000 electronic signatures before kick-off today, urging Australian authorities to “ensure that no member of Iran’s women’s national football team is to depart Australia while credible fears for their safety remain” and also to provide independent legal advice, support and interpreters.

The Australian Associated Press reports that protesters chanting “let them go” slightly delayed the departure of the Iran squad from the stadium.

Australia’s national news agency quotes Iran’s head coach Marziyeh Jafari saying the squad “want to come back to Iran as soon as we can.”

“I want to be with my country and home… We are eager to come back,” AAP quotes Jafari as saying.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong declines to comment on whether the Australian government had made contact with individuals but tells domestic media Australia stands in solidarity with the Iranian women’s team.

“It has been really moving for Australians to see them in Australia, and (Australia’s women’s team) swapping jerseys with them was a very evocative moment,” Wong tells the Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Sunday. “We know this regime has brutally oppressed many Iranian women.”