Two Iranian footballers who made world headlines for defying Tehran are now Australian citizens.
The geopolitical stoush began when they refused to sing the Islamic Republic’s national anthem at the women’s Asian Cup this year.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Iranian footballers granted Australian citizenship after defecting
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But as their teammates left the tournament, they defected, remaining here on humanitarian visas.
Months after being branded as “wartime traitors”, they can now call Australia home, having been granted citizenship on Wednesday.
Atefeh Ramezanisadeh and Fatemeh Pasandideh expressed their gratitude back in April after accepting an offer to stay in Australia following Iran’s controversial Asian Cup campaign.
“The compassion and support shown to us during this challenging time has provided us with hope for a future where we can live and compete in safety,” they said in a joint statement at the time.
The duo were among seven Iranian squad members — six players and a support staff member — who sparked a diplomatic furore when they were granted humanitarian visas to remain in Australia following their Asian Cup campaign in March.
There were fears for the team’s safety on their return to Iran after they were labelled “wartime traitors” on the country’s state media for refusing to sing the national anthem before their opening Asian Cup match.
Five squad members later withdrew their asylum claims and returned to Iran.
Pasandideh and Ramezanisadeh on Friday thanked the Australian government for providing a “safe haven in this beautiful country”, singling out Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke for granting humanitarian protection.
They also saluted Home Affairs staff support, saying they had been overwhelmed by the generosity of Australia’s Iranian community as they entered the next chapter of their lives.
“Your support has made us feel welcome and less alone as we navigate this transition,” they said.
“At this stage, our primary focus is on our safety, our health and beginning the process of rebuilding our lives.”