Iranian media report the national women’s soccer team has returned to the Islamic Republic after several of the players had sought asylum in Australia.
The outlets shared footage of the women entering Iran after landing in Turkey and taking a bus to the border. They were greeted by some officials at the border.
The players emerged from Turkey’s Igdir Airport pulling their luggage and chatted in front of the terminal before boarding the bus. One of them briefly smiled and waved at a TV camera before the bus departed. 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.
Two Iranian female players, Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh, chose to remain in Australia and have been training with Brisbane Roar.
Five members of the delegation who initially sought asylum later changed their minds.
AP and Reuters
