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Iran’s Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that returning members of Iran’s women’s football team will be embraced by the public. The team were in Australia for the Asia Cup when the war situation developed with Israel and the US. The team is now on its way to return to their homeland, with only accepting the asylum offer.

The Iran women's football team are on their way home after several withdrew their asylum bids. The team had travelled to Australia for the Asian Cup when the war situation developed with Israel and the US. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an airstrike.

Footage from Turkish news agency DHA showed the players, wearing Iranian national team tracksuits, walking through the arrivals area at Istanbul Airport. The players arrived in Turkey via Oman and Kuala Lumpur, having left Australia. Only two members of the team have accepted the asylum and and will remain in Australia.

On Wednesday, Iran’s Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that returning members of Iran’s women’s football team will be embraced by the public.

"The female footballers of the national team and the technical staff are the dear daughters of this land and water, and the people of Iran embrace them. Our daughters, despite all the malice of the enemies of this country, have not become disillusioned with themselves; they have not surrendered to the temptations and intimidation of the Iran-haters, and they will return with pride to their eternal home, Iran," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X as translated by Grok.