Two more members of the Iranian women's soccer team were granted asylum in Australia before their teammates departed, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Wednesday in Canberra.

The pair has been reunited with five players who were granted humanitarian visas a day earlier, Burke told reporters. One of the later group was a player and the other was a team staffer, and both sought asylum before their teammates were transported to the airport for their return flight to Iran.

What the Left Is Saying

Progressive advocates and human rights organizations have praised Australia's decision to grant asylum to the team members, arguing that the women faced persecution for their symbolic act of refusing to sing the national anthem. Human rights groups have documented widespread repression against women in Iran, particularly since the 2022 protests over mandatory hijab laws.

Australian Labor Party members and left-leaning commentators have pointed to the government's handling of the situation as a model of humanitarian policy. 'Australia's objective here was not to force people to make a particular decision,' Burke said at the news conference. 'We're not that sort of nation.'

Progressive advocates have also highlighted the broader context of Iran's war, which began on Feb. 28, arguing that returning the players to Iran would have put them in grave danger. Iranian diaspora groups in Australia had urged the government to prevent the women's departure, citing fears for their safety.

What the Right Is Saying

Some conservative voices have questioned whether Australian officials did enough to prevent the team's departure, suggesting the government should have acted sooner. Critics have noted that some delegation members were not offered asylum because they had connections to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

Conservative commentators have also raised concerns about the optics of the situation, with some arguing that Australia should have coordinated more closely with Iranian authorities before the team's departure. Some have questioned whether the players' decision not to sing the anthem was a genuine political statement or a manufactured controversy.

Others have emphasized the need for careful vetting of asylum seekers, noting Burke's statement that some members of the delegation were not offered protection due to their Revolutionary Guard connections. This has led to calls for more rigorous background checks in similar cases.

What the Numbers Show

Seven members of the Iranian women's soccer team have now been granted humanitarian visas in Australia. The original squad listed 26 players, plus coaching and support staff.

The Iranian team arrived in Australia for the Women's Asian Cup last month, before the Iran war began on Feb. 28. The team was knocked out of the tournament over the weekend.

The women's symbolic act of not singing the Iranian anthem before their first match drew widespread news coverage in Australia. The team later saluted and sang the anthem before subsequent games.

Brisbane Roar, the premier football club in the city nearest to where the team was based for the tournament, posted to social media Wednesday inviting the women who had sought asylum to train with their club.

The Bottom Line

The Australian government's decision to grant humanitarian visas to seven members of the Iranian women's soccer team represents one of the most visible examples of Australia's response to athletes fleeing conflict. The women were given temporary humanitarian visas, which provide a pathway to permanent residency.

The situation remains fluid as seven team members remain in Australia under protection, while the rest of the delegation returned to Iran late Tuesday. Australian officials continue to review cases for any additional asylum claims.

The case has drawn significant public attention in Australia, with the Brisbane Roar offering training opportunities to the players who remain in the country. What happens next will likely depend on the evolving situation in Iran and any further requests for asylum from remaining team members or other Iranian athletes competing abroad.