STORY: Members of the Iranian women’s national football team returned to Iran through the Bazargan border crossing with Turkey on Wednesday (March 18) completing a fraught return journey from Australia after five members withdrew asylum claims they had lodged there.

Australia had granted humanitarian visas to six players and one support staff member after they sought asylum, saying they feared possible persecution if ⁠they returned to Iran.

Concerns over their safety surfaced when several players failed to sing the national anthem at a women's Asian Cup match earlier this month after the United States and Israel launched the war against Iran. Iranian state television had labeled them "wartime traitors."

The team, which flew into Istanbul on Tuesday, took a flight to Igdir in eastern Turkey on Wednesday morning.

After a trip of around two hours to the frontier, they went through passport control at the Gurbulak border gate before crossing over into Iran.

The team's Asian Cup campaign began just as the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament more than a week ago.

Five of those who had sought asylum in Australia subsequently changed their minds and decided to return home, with Australian media reporting the latest withdrawal on Monday.

They rejoined the rest of the squad in Kuala Lumpur, where the team had been staying since leaving Sydney last week.

Two players are still in Australia and have been pictured training with a local A-League club.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: MEMBERS OF IRANIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM ARRIVING AT THE BAZARGAN BORDER, AZERBAIJAN PROVINCE / TEAM MEMBERS TALKING TO REPORTER

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: BAZARGAN BORDER, EAST AZERBAIJAN PROVINCE, IRAN (MARCH 18, 2026) (POOL VIA WANA - No use BBC Persian. No use VOA Persian. No use Manoto. No use Iran International, No use Radio Farda)

1. MEMBERS OF IRANIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM ARRIVING AT BORDER,

REPORTER: “Well done for your zeal. How do you feel having just entered Iran?

(SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRANIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM CAPTAIN, ZAHRA GHANBARI, SAYING:

“We feel really good, we really missed our country.”

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRANIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM PLAYER, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING:

"It was really hard, and I'm really glad I'm back"

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRANIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM PLAYER, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING:

"We have a good feeling. It had its difficulties on our way [back home]".

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRANIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM MEMBER, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING:

"Iran is the cradle of us, we've returned for our homeland"

5. PLAYERS WALKING, BEING INTERVIEWED

(SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRANIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM PLAYER, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING:

REPORTER: “One sentence for our Iran?”

"I love Iran"

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRANIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM PLAYER, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING:

REPORTER ASKING HOW PLAYER FEELS

"We are very happy"

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRANIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM PLAYER, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING:

REPORTER GREETING PLAYER

"Thank you, thank you"

8. REPORTER GREETING PLAYERS, ASKING HOW THEY FEEL

(SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRANIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM PLAYER, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING:

"Iran is our land, our family is here, we belong to it, I've returned, my family, my father, my mother, my land"

9. IRANIAN OFFICIALS

10. VARIOUS OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN ARRIVAL AREA, ESCORTED BY SECURITY GUARDS