'Terrible humanitarian mistake': Trump urges Australia not to send Iran women’s football team back home

US President Donald Trump on Monday appealed to Australia not to send Iran’s women’s football team back to Iran, calling it a “terrible humanitarian mistake” and saying the players were at risk of being killed if forced to return.

 

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In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote:

“Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman’s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed. Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. The U.S. will take them if you won’t. Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump’s intervention came as Australia faced growing pressure to offer asylum to the Iranian women’s team after the players refused to sing their national anthem before an Asian Cup tournament match in Australia on March 2.

The gesture was widely seen as an act of defiance against the Islamic republic.

A presenter on Iranian state television branded the side “wartime traitors”, while the players’ decision to stand in silence during Iran’s anthem before their first match against South Korea was labelled by a commentator on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting as the “pinnacle of dishonour”.

The team’s campaign in the Australian-hosted Asian Cup began just as the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran were eliminated from the tournament on Sunday after a 2-0 defeat to the Philippines.

Earlier on Monday, global players’ union FIFPRO said there were serious concerns about the welfare of the team as they prepared to return home after being labelled “wartime traitors” for refusing to sing their national anthem before a game.