Image: from zayn X @11amtweets__
By Open Chronicle Staff Monday, March 9, 2026
WASHINGTON / GOLD COAST — U.S. President Donald Trump has thrust himself into the center of a brewing humanitarian crisis in Australia, calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to grant immediate asylum to the Iranian women’s national soccer team.
In a characteristic late-night post on Truth Social, the President warned that the athletes, who have been labeled “wartime traitors” by Tehran, face certain death if forced to return to Iran.
“A Terrible Humanitarian Mistake”
“Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iranian Women’s National Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed,” Trump wrote. “Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. The U.S. will take them if you won’t.”
The President later followed up with a post claiming he had spoken directly to PM Albanese: “He’s on it! Five have already been taken care of.”
Five Players Flee Training Camp
The diplomatic firestorm follows reports that five members of the squad successfully escaped their hotel on the Gold Coast and are now under the protection of the Australian Federal Police. According to a statement from the office of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the players have been identified as:
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Zahra Ghanbari (Captain)
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Fatemeh Pasandideh
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Zahra Sarbali
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Atefeh Ramazanzadeh
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Mona Hamoudi
These athletes reportedly joined the “Lion and Sun Revolution” after their silent protest during the national anthem in their opening match against South Korea went viral. Iranian state broadcaster IRIB responded by calling for “severe measures” against the women, framing their dissent as an act of treason during the ongoing regional war.
Coercion and “Wartime Treason”
Human rights advocates, including author J.K. Rowling and former Australian soccer captain Craig Foster, have joined the chorus for protection. Evidence suggests that after the initial silent protest, the remaining players were coerced into singing the anthem and performing military salutes during subsequent matches against Australia and the Philippines—likely under threats directed at their families back in Iran.
A Global Flashpoint
While Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has officially declined to comment on individual cases, the pressure from the White House adds a layer of geopolitical weight to the situation. With the U.S.–Israeli coalition currently engaged in active hostilities against the new Mojtaba Khamenei regime in Tehran, the fate of these players has evolved from a sporting news item into a symbol of the broader struggle for Iranian liberation.
As of Monday evening, the remaining members of the team are still at their Gold Coast resort, their departure complicated by regional airspace closures and the ongoing asylum negotiations.