Trump urges Australia to grant asylum to Iran women's football team after AFC Asian Cup exit, warns of life-threatening risks

Washington, DC [US], March 9 (ANI): US President Donald Trump urged Australia to provide asylum to Iran's National Women's Soccer Team, warning that forcing the team back to Iran could put their lives at serious risk.
In the ongoing AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 tournament, Iran was eliminated from the tournament after suffering a hat-trick of defeats. The Irianian Women lost 3-0 to South Korea on March 2, then suffered a thrashing 4-0 defeat to Australia on March 5, followed by a convincing 2-0 loss to the Philippines on March 8.
In a post shared on social media platform Truth Social, Trump said, "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."

The development comes after five players from the Iran Women team have reportedly left the team's training camp and sought refuge in Australia, according to a statement from the office of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
"Prince Reza Pahlavi's office has been informed that five players from the Iranian women's national football team: Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh, and Mona Hamoudi, have left the team's training camp and successfully sought refuge in Australia," the post read.
"These five courageous athletes, currently in a safe location, have announced that they have joined Iran's national Lion and Sun Revolution," the post added.

Announcement: Prince Reza Pahlavi’s office has been informed that five players from the Iranian women's national football team: Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh, and Mona Hamoudi, have left the team’s training camp and successfully sought… https://t.co/PdBPRlJxjU

— Reza Pahlavi Communications (@PahlaviComms) March 9, 2026

Tensions escalated in West Asia, following the killing of Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint military strikes by the US and Israel on Iran on February 28. The strikes also killed several senior leaders of the Islamic Republic.
In retaliation, Tehran launched counter-strikes targeting American military bases in multiple Arab countries and Israeli assets across the region. Israel, along with the US, continued its strikes on Tehran, with Tel Aviv widening the conflict to Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militant groups.
Earlier on Sunday, Iran's Assembly of Experts, the clerical body responsible for selecting the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, announced the appointment of the late leader's son, 56-year-old cleric Mojtaba Khamenei, to the position.
The leadership transition marks a significant moment in Iran's political history, as Mojtaba Khamenei becomes the third supreme leader of the Islamic Republic after the islamic revolution of 1979. (ANI)