https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/c8ab0ab5-3ee4-42a3-8050-6e064543abf4 Five women from the Iranian women’s football team were granted humanitarian visas in Australia, Prime Minister Albanese announced on Tuesday. The team were playing a match for the Asian Cup held in Australia when they refused to sing the Iranian national anthem. A presenter on Iranian state television branded them as “wartime traitors”, prompting fears that they would face persecution upon their return. The remaining players declined the offer to apply for asylum, citing fears over their families’ safety if they did not return to Iran. Protesters blocked the bus transporting them to the airport on Tuesday, calling for their protection in the country. Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Catch previous episodes of MEE LIVE, our biweekly news programme exploring the stories shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis, and hard-hitting interviews. Originally airing Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12pm ET | 5pm BST Got a story tip or question? Reach us at MEELive@middleeasteye.org Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:29:50 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://tankie.tube https://tankie.tube/lazy-static/avatars/3ba3ff73-a8b6-49c9-add8-9653ef090c7f.webp https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/c8ab0ab5-3ee4-42a3-8050-6e064543abf4 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://tankie.tube/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.