Iranian women's football team back in Iran, state media announces
In short:
Iranian state media says its women's national football team is back inside Iran after travelling from Australia.
The delegation of players and staff included five people who initially accepted Australia's offer of asylum but later changed their minds.
What's next?
Two players have stayed in Australia.
Iran's national women's football team has returned to the Islamic Republic after several of the players sought asylum in Australia, Iranian media is reporting.
The outlets shared footage of the players entering Iran after landing in Türkiye and taking a bus to the border. They were greeted by some officials at the border.
Most of the team's players left Australia last week, travelling through Malaysia and Oman on their way to Türkiye.
Two Iranian female players, Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh, chose to remain in Australia and have been training with the Brisbane Roar club.
Others who initially sought asylum after the team was knocked out of the Women's Asian Cup later changed their minds and said they would return to Iran.
Members of the Iranian women's national soccer team are seen outside the airport after arriving in the eastern Turkish city of Igdir. (Reuters: Ali Ihsan Ozturk)
Iran's squad arrived in Australia for the tournament shortly before the Iran war began on February 28.
The team initially gained global attention after some players stayed silent during Iran's national anthem before their first game in the Asian Cup.
The silence was cast as an act of resistance or protest by some commentators and a show of mourning by others.
The players did not publicly disclose their views or explain their actions and sang the anthem before their next two matches.
When the team was knocked out of the tournament and faced the prospect of returning to a country under bombardment, calls grew for Australia's government to offer the women asylum.
Six players and one staff member initially accepted offers of asylum, but five would later decide to leave Australia. (ABC News: Supplied: Department of Home Affairs)
Iranian groups in Australia and US President Donald Trump were among those who expressed fears for the women's safety.
Iranian first Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref last week dismissed suggestions the women would be unsafe if they returned home, saying the country "welcomes its children with open arms and the government guarantees their security."
AP