<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two more </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/" rel="" target="" title="Iranian"><span>Iranian</span></a><span> footballers and two staff members from the national women's team have elected to stay in </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="" title="Australia "><span>Australia</span></a><span> and </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/asylum-seekers" rel="" target="" title="seek asylum"><span>seek asylum</span></a><span>, according to a senior member of the Iranian community.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Iranian Society of </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/queensland" rel="" target="" title="Queensland "><span>Queensland</span></a><span> vice president Hadi Karimi told 9news.com.au late last night that two women stayed behind in the team hotel on the </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/gold-coast" rel="" target="" title="Gold Coast"><span>Gold Coast</span></a><span> and another two remained in </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/sydney" rel="" target="" title="Sydney"><span>Sydney</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His comments came after Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/us-israel-attack-iran-women-footballers-in-queensland-seek-asylum/ae4e93a0-47a2-445f-9c74-e4cd5b52df33" rel="" target="" title="five women had been granted humanitarian visas after escaping from the hotel"><span>five women had been granted humanitarian visas after escaping from the hotel</span></a><span> the night before and the remaining members would be offered assistance if they asked for it.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/iran-launches-new-attacks-at-gulf-arab-countries-as-it-keeps-up-pressure-on-the-middle-east/54a3c472-952d-46d7-88bb-24567113dd02"><strong><span>'Iran will determine when the war ends'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Burke last night told News Corp more players had applied for asylum. His office has been contacted to confirm the exact numbers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Supporters at Sydney airport had been frantically trying to pass on a message from the family of one of the players saying they wanted her to stay in Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Her mum just called us right before and asked us to keep her here," Australian Iranian Patriots Association co-founder Minoo Toussi told reporters at Sydney airport last night. </span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/iranian-football-players-senior-iranian-community-figure-says-more-footballers-seek-asylum/871406ab-bfe3-41ca-94aa-598f80eeeffe" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"She doesn't want to go. But as much as I know Australian government and AFP, they are responsible to create a safe environment for these girls and also to prevent the returns, because they are under pressure.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"These girls are ... they're inside the two blades of the pair of the scissors. They have to stay here, otherwise, if they turn to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and as soon as they return in Tehran, they will go to the jail."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Toussi and her husband and fellow co-founder Maani Taghizadeh had been worried the message hadn't gotten through but Karimi confirmed emerging social media reports that she was among the women who had been able to stay.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's amazing, man," Karimi said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/petrol-stations-australia-regional-service-stations-completely-out-of-fuel/fc342a7e-279b-4739-aa71-7defeec841b2"><strong><span>Aussie petrol stations now fresh out of fuel</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"How do you feel? You save nine lives. What would you like? What to feel? It's amazing."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It wasn't clear how the women had been able to separate themselves from the rest of the travelling party, including IRGC minders, but Karimi said they'd all eventually been interviewed by the AFP.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are begging for three days - are begging them for three days," Karimi said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Separate our girls, they are in pressure, separate them and interview them.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Why it is the interview happened just now in the airport? They've been in the hotel for three days, no one could interview them."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/panicked-buyers-empty-shelves-to-stockpile-jerry-cans-as-fuel-prices-surge/75f156f4-b974-418f-9f17-f7ac550f3051" rel="" target="" title=""><strong><span>'Extremely dangerous' act criticised as fuel prices surge</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Burke's office and the AFP were contacted for comment overnight. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier in the evening, there were distressing scenes as protesters on the Gold Coast attempted to block the bus as it left the hotel.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Supporters lay down on the road and chanted "save our girls" as police attempted to move them along.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Players appeared to pull one of the women towards their bus as they left the hotel, in vision filmed by the </span><em><span>Brisbane Times.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They touched down at Sydney's domestic airport last night and boarded a waiting bus that was expected to take them to the international terminal.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>The Sydney Morning Herald</span></em><span> spoke to several players flanked by chaperones as they left Australia late last night, many saying they wanted to return to their families despite fears for their safety.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Iran is home," one said but the body language of some women reportedly told a different story, with tears streaming down the faces of the last of the women to board.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The team grabbed worldwide attention last week when players refused to sing Iran's national anthem before a game in the Asia Cup and they were branded "traitors" by the Islamic regime.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They were seen flashing their torches towards the arrivals hall where supporters were waiting along with Australian Federal Police officers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Five of the women escaped their handlers at the Gold Coast hotel with assistance from the AFP on Monday night.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Burke said this morning that the women had been "moved to a safe location", where he met with them and approved their humanitarian visas.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>