UPDATE: Two Iranian Football Team Members Return to Iran

One member of the Iranian women’s football team, who sought sanctuary in Australia, has changed her mind, Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke informed on Wednesday.

The player, whose identity was being protected by the authorities, made the change after she spoke to some of the teammates that had left the group.

This development took place in Australia where the team had been staying at a safe house before some members left.

IRAN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM OFFERED ASYLUM AMID REGIME THREATS

Burke told the parliament, that he had since been advised one member of the group 'had spoken to some of the teammates that left and changed their mind'.

'She had been advised by her teammates and encouraged to contact the Iranian embassy. As a result of that it meant the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was,' the minister explained to the parliament members.

The remaining players have been moved from a safe house to another location, he said.

Australian officials had 'made sure this was her decision', he said, referring to the Iran team member who had changed her mind.

Earlier, Burke confirmed that an additional player and a member of the team’s support staff had received humanitarian visas, after five players were earlier granted asylum, over concerns for their safety should they return to Iran, following the team’s failure to sing their national anthem before a recent match.

Burke said the pair sought asylum before the team departed the country late on Tuesday night.

All the women were taken aside individually by Australian officials and interpreters, without Iranian minders present, and offered asylum as they passed through security at Sydney airport.

'They were given a choice. In that situation, what we made sure of was that there was no rushing, there was no pressure,' he said.

The remaining squad and staff members flew out of Sydney to Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday evening in emotional scenes and arrived in Malaysia early Wednesday morning.