PARIS – The captain of Iran’s women’s football team at the Asian Cup in Australia has withdrawn her asylum request, state media reported March 15, becoming the fifth delegation member to reverse course amid allegations of family pressure from Tehran.
Zahra Ghanbari, the national team’s top scorer, will travel from Australia to Malaysia before flying home, IRNA said. Three players and one staffer had already departed via Kuala Lumpur after backing out last week.
Initially, seven team members sought refuge after refusing to sing the national anthem, branded “traitors” by Iranian state TV amid Middle East war sparked by US-Israeli strikes on Iran and January protests against the clerical regime. Now, only two plan to stay.
Australia offered sanctuary, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke noting the departures followed “repeated chances” to reconsider their “incredibly difficult decisions.” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised their bravery.
Exiled ex-futsal player Shiva Amini claimed on X that Iran’s Football Federation and Revolutionary Guards intimidated families, including summoning Ghanbari’s mother for interrogation. Iran International reported similar threats, highlighting authorities’ history of targeting athletes’ relatives to prevent defection.
Iranian outlets celebrated, with IRNA calling it a return to “the embrace of the homeland” and Mehr hailing her “patriotic decision.” No comment yet from Australian officials on Ghanbari’s move. The anthem silence drew global sympathy as defiance against the Islamic Republic; the team sang in later matches.