MELBOURNE, Australia

Three additional members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who had previously accepted refugee visas in Australia have now opted to return to their home country, as announced by an Australian government minister on Sunday.

This departure means that, out of the original seven team members, only three will remain in Australia.

“Overnight, a decision was made for three members of the Iranian women’s soccer team to reunite with the rest of the team and head back to Iran,” said Interior Minister Tony Burke in a statement.

Burke added, “After we informed the Australian authorities about this decision, the players had multiple opportunities to discuss their choices.”

The Iranian team had arrived in Australia last month to participate in the Women’s Asian Cup, shortly before tensions escalated in the Middle East on February 28.

Initially, six players and support staff from the 26-member team accepted humanitarian visas to remain in Australia before the rest of the delegation departed for Malaysia from Sydney on March 9.

One player later reversed their decision and also left Australia. Government officials reported that the three individuals departed Sydney for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday night, while the remaining team members have stayed in Kuala Lumpur since leaving Australia.

According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, the latest three to leave include two players and one support staff member. The agency mentioned in a statement that the trio has “returned to the warm embrace of their families and their homeland.”

The team’s initial failure to sing the Iranian national anthem before their first match raised concerns regarding their safety back in Iran.

Iranian groups in Australia, along with U.S. President Donald Trump, had urged the Australian government to support the women.

The Iranian News Agency criticized the return of the women’s team, labeling it as “a disgraceful failure of the US-Australia project and another failure for President Trump.”

Finance Minister Jim Chalmers, a senior member of the Australian government, expressed relief that three Iranian women would stay in Australia, stating, “I’m worried about those who changed their minds about remaining here.” He added, “I can only imagine the pressure they are under and how hard this decision must be for them.”

Mr. Burke stated that Australians should take pride in their country for providing options and helping the Iranian team.

“The Australian Government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, but it cannot eliminate the context in which players make these very tough decisions,” Burke noted. He affirmed that the government has done everything possible to help these women secure a future in Australia.