5 Iranian women’s soccer players granted asylum in Australia

Australia has granted asylum to five members of Iran's women's national soccer team

They were in the country for a tournament when the war broke out in Iran. The decision comes after Iranian groups in Australia and even President Trump

urged the government to offer them protection. Early Tuesday morning, police escorted the five players from their hotel on the Gold Coast

to what officials called a safe location after they requested asylum. Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says he met with the players before their humanitarian visas were approved

Now, the team drew global attention last week when the players refused to sing Iran's national anthem before their first match in Australia

Iranian state media later branded them traitors, calling the move, quote, the pinnacle of dishonor

It's a 26-person team. Burke says the rest of the team has also been offered the opportunity to stay in Australia

Australia has taken the Iranian women soccer team into our hearts These women are tremendously popular in Australia but we realise they are in a terribly difficult situation

with the decisions that they're making. But the opportunity will continue to be there

for them to talk to Australian officials if they wish to. These women have been weighing up an incredibly difficult decision

Incredibly difficult decision. and I respect that even though the offer continues to be there for other members of the team

it is quite possible and indeed likely that not every woman on the team will make a decision

to take up the opportunity that Australia would offer to them. What matters here is that they have the best agency they can over those decisions

It's not clear when the other players are expected to return to Iran

But tensions grew Tuesday when protesters tried to block a bus reportedly carrying members of that team from their hotel

Local media report the team later boarded a flight from Gold Coast Airport