US EditionPublished • loading... • Updated
Iran captain latest footballer to drop asylum bid, Iranian state media says
Zahra Ghanbari is the fifth Iranian women’s soccer player to withdraw asylum in Australia amid disputed safety concerns, with several granted humanitarian visas by authorities.
- On Sunday, Zahra Ghanbari, team captain of Iran’s women’s national soccer team, withdrew her asylum claim in Australia and left the country, federal officials confirmed.
- Accounts from exiled players and rights groups say threats to relatives prompted reversals, with diaspora activists alleging pressure by Tehran regime and the federation, including summons of Ghanbari’s mother.
- Five delegation members have abandoned asylum claims, leaving only two expected to stay in Australia; three players and one backroom staff member had earlier travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said officials repeatedly offered the players chances to discuss options, but 'we cannot remove the context in which the players are making these incredibly difficult decisions'; Iranian state outlets hailed the returns as patriotic.
- Against the backdrop of regional war and recent air strikes, Australian‑Iranian community groups warn the reversals highlight safety risks and human‑rights and diplomatic implications.
Insights by Ground AI
Podcasts & Opinions
32 Articles
32 Articles
After the departure of the Iranian national football team at the Asian Championship, several female players refuse to return to Iran. They get asylum in Australia - and some now undo that.
Family Kidnap Claims Emerge as Iranian Soccer Players Return
The captain of the Iranian women’s soccer team followed her players in leaving Australia and withdrawing asylum claims because their families are being targeted by the regime, a diaspora community group says. Zahra Ghanbari became the fifth member of the team to change her mind after accepting an offer to stay in the country at the end of the Women’s Asian Cup. Her decision was seized on by the Iranian state news agency IRNA, which has hailed th…
·New York, United States
Read Full ArticleCoverage Details
Total News Sources32
Leaning Left8Leaning Right11Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution44% Right
Bias Distribution
- 44% of the sources lean Right
44% Right
L 32%
C 24%
R 44%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
