Iranian women's footballers granted Australian citizenship months after seeking asylum
Melbourne: Two members of the Iranian women's football team who claimed asylum in Australia in March have been granted citizenship.
Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh confirmed in a statement Thursday that Immigration Minister Tony Burke administered their oath the previous day during a citizenship ceremony in their adopted Australian home city of Brisbane.
Friends and well-wishers from the local Iranian diaspora attended the event.
“Yesterday was a truly special and unforgettable day for me. I feel proud and deeply grateful to become an Australian citizen. Australia has given me the opportunity to build my life and my future, and I feel, more than ever, that I belong here,” Ramezanisadeh said in the statement.
Ramezanisadeh noted that her Iranian roots and personal memories would permanently remain part of her identity.
Pasandideh remarked that Wednesday represented “one of the happiest days of my life.”
“I'm incredibly proud and grateful to officially become an Australian citizen. After everything we've been through and all the challenges we faced, this moment means more than words can express,” Pasandideh said.
When The Associated Press requested an explanation from Burke's office regarding the expedited nature of the women's citizenship process, his department declined to comment on individual matters, citing privacy protections.
The Refugee Council of Australia, an independent umbrella body advocating for asylum-seekers, stated that refugees typically must reside in Australia on a valid visa for four years before submitting an application for citizenship.
Their naturalisation could potentially have been fast-tracked under statutory provisions in order to make them eligible to represent Australia in international football.
The Iranian players joined Brisbane Roar, a club competing in Australia's top-tier domestic A-League Women competition, after being granted asylum when Iran withdrew from the Women's Asian Cup hosted by Australia.
They were among seven Iranian squad members who initially accepted asylum, though five reconsidered within days and rejoined the national team for undisclosed reasons.
The delegation had landed in Australia prior to the US and Israeli military strikes against Iran in February.
Concerns regarding the team's safety upon returning home emerged after squad members opted against singing the Iranian national anthem prior to their opening fixture of the tournament.
Demonstrators advocating for the team's asylum repeatedly referenced Iranian sports commentator Mohammad Reza Shahbazi, who branded the athletes “wartime traitors” during a television broadcast.
US President Donald Trump used social media platforms to urge that the squad be granted asylum and held a telephone conversation with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese regarding the matter.
PTI