<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It took 48 hours but just one tiny window of opportunity for five Iranian footballers to make their fateful escape from handlers and </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="_blank" title="successfully seek asylum in Australia overnight."><span>successfully seek asylum in Australia overnight.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh, and Mona Hamoudi were assisted by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in a dramatic midnight mission on Queensland's Gold Coast </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/queensland" rel="" target="_blank" title="as most of Australia slept."><span>as most of Australia slept.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Their desperate bid for freedom came to a triumphant end when Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke granted the players humanitarian visas at 1.30am – a secret meeting that sealed their fate while most of Australia slept.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the plans had been laid well before Burke signed the dotted line and before it was accused of dragging their feet by Australian activist Drew Pavlou and </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="_blank" title="US President Donald Trump."><span>US President Donald Trump.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-attack-iran-live-updates-march-10-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headline/f56853f3-caaf-4561-a0f2-16433f810007" target="_blank"><strong><span>Australia to send high-tech military plane and missiles to Middle East</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The players feared jail or death upon their return to Iran, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-attack-iran-iran-strikes-neighbours-after-tehran-pummelled-names-new-leader/445ab805-a23a-4a65-935f-019dca57b986" rel="" target="_blank" title="besieged by the US-led strikes and under a fresh ayatollah regime"><span>besieged by the US-led strikes and under a fresh ayatollah regime</span></a><span>, after being eliminated from the 2026 Women's Asia Cup.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Concerns had grown for the footballers since Sunday night when it was claimed at one of the women made "a sign for help" as the team bus left Gold Coast Stadium at the end of their Asia Cup campaign.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/iran-womens-football-team-timeline-australian-government/925463a1-cd49-427d-9cc1-b2baa76c051e" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The players also feared for their safety after being labelled traitors for not singing the national anthem during a game against South Korea.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Burke's office had declined to comment on the matter before now, citing the sensitivity of the issues involved.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The calls for the Australian government to step in and grant asylum to the team then hit boiling point when Trump joined the fray with a post on Truth Social about 1.15am AEDT.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Don't do it Mr Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. The U.S. will take them if you won't," Trump wrote, before sharing Pavlou's post which claimed the government had to be "dragged kicking and screaming" to grant the women protection.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It appears efforts to help the football players flee Iranian persecution began days before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese admonished for making a "terrible humanitarian decision" by Trump.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>NATIONAL:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-fuel-shortages-farmers-hit-first-supplies-dry-up/132dbef5-dad4-4e43-a4f5-e051b989275b" target="_blank"><strong><span>'Hard not to panic': Australian farmers hit first as fuel supplies dry up</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Here is how the past 48 hours unfolded.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Burke flew to Brisbane on Sunday evening to speak with the team members who had expressed a desire to stay in Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The players had been due to fly back home to Iran yesterday, but did not emerge from their hotel to travel the airport as planned.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It wasn't until late last night that the women broke away from their handlers and were moved to a safe location by the AFP.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The exact circumstances of their escape is unclear – sources previously told SBS News that the women were not able to walk around the hotel unaccompanied and were escorted to a conference room to eat meals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>By 1.30am today, the humanitarian visas were officially granted by Burke.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>EXCLUSIVE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/andy-parking-fine-told-licence-would-be-suspended-over-fine-he-paid-in-full/468b430d-8035-4787-b331-fdd8986e0638" target="_blank"><strong><span>Andy paid his parking fine, only to be slapped with another $130 fine</span></strong></a></div></div><div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5), 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px auto;max-width:440px;padding:0;width:99.375%"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVqccXtDX9D/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=8a6ad04d-b1db-467c-b614-47b93f171901"></a></blockquote></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I signed off last night for their applications to go onto humanitarian visas and a little bit after 1.30am this morning the processing was completed by the Department of Home Affairs," Burke said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Albanese later confirmed that Trump called him just before 2am and the pair had a "very positive discussion".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>During that call, the PM delicately explained to Trump that the wheels had already been in motion before his public intervention.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He was concerned about the Iranian women in the football team and their welfare and their safety if they returned home," the PM told reporters.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I was able to convey to him the action that we'd taken over the previous 48 hours and that five [members] of the team had asked for assistance and had received it and were safely located."</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/world/bali-scooter-crash-nsw-central-coast-mother-alivia-campbell-fighting-for-life/f26cd3fb-46eb-4b52-9958-bb9a4ff0ac00" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Aussie mum fighting for life after 'devastating' Bali truck crash</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span> At around 3am, Trump returned to Truth Social to shower Albanese with praise.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He's on it!" Trump wrote. "Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don't return.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In any event, the Prime Minister is doing a very good job having to do with this rather delicate situation."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>By 7am today, Burke had re-emerged and offered details of his long night in Queensland.</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/panic-buying-fuel-shortages-australia-inflation-hits-five-per-cent/be00a858-4fb3-417a-8452-a501dc97f297" rel="" target="_blank" title="'Expected': Fuel shortage to drive up grocery prices as inflation bites"><strong><span>'Expected': Fuel shortage to drive up grocery prices as inflation bites</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They're welcome to stay in Australia, they're safe here, and feel at home here," Burke told reporters today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There has been a lot of work that's been going on in recent days to make sure that we had the maximum number of opportunities for these women to know that they could seek assistance if they wanted to and to have maximum number of opportunities to directly seek that assistance.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is my second night here in Brisbane, I was here the night before as well, and at that point we had conversations happening with some of the women but we didn't know whether any would seek assistance."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The remaining members of the team will be offered assistance if they ask for it, he added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We realise they are in a terribly difficult situation with the decisions that they're making, but the opportunity will continue to be there for them to talk to Australian officials if they wish to," Burke said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><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><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>