On the 11th (local time), Australian Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Tony Burke (center), poses for a photo with two members of the Iranian women's national football team in Brisbane, eastern Australia, after issuing them humanitarian visas for asylum in Australia. However, one of them later withdrew their intention to seek asylum.

Following the asylum of five members of the Iranian women's national football team in Australia after remaining silent during the national anthem, one additional member of the Iranian national team has joined them, bringing the total number of individuals staying in Australia to six.

Iran has strongly protested, accusing Australia of effectively "kidnapping" them.

On the 11th (local time), Australian Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Tony Burke, announced that two more individuals, one player and one staff member from the Iranian national team, expressed their desire to seek asylum and were issued humanitarian visas.

Minister Burke stated that he offered the same asylum proposal to these two individuals as he did to the five players the previous night, adding, "We have the paperwork ready for immediate issuance if they wish to receive a humanitarian visa that can lead to permanent residency."

After accepting Australia's asylum offer, the two individuals were separated from the rest of the team and transported to a safe location. Minister Burke personally met with them to sign their visa application documents.

The player among the two is reportedly Mohadeseh Zolfi (21), an attacker, and the staff member is Zahra Soltan Moshkhekhkar.

However, a few hours after this announcement, Minister Burke stated in parliament that one of the two individuals who decided to seek asylum changed their mind after speaking with their teammates who had already departed.

Australian officials then underwent a process to confirm whether the individual who withdrew their asylum bid had made the decision voluntarily. Minister Burke reported that the individual contacted the Iranian Embassy in Australia and rejoined the embassy staff.

It was not disclosed which of the two individuals changed their mind about seeking asylum.

Minister Burke explained, "In Australia, people can change their minds and travel," and "We respect the context behind his decision."

Minister Burke also said that the remaining members of the Iranian national team had the opportunity for individual meetings with Australian officials without security personnel before departing from Sydney International Airport to voluntarily choose whether to seek asylum.

At this stage, some members of the Iranian national team spoke with their families in Iran for consultation but ultimately did not accept the asylum offer and departed, according to Minister Burke.

He explained, "What we wanted to ensure was not to rush or pressure them," and "We focused on ensuring that individuals (from the Iranian national team) could make a choice with dignity."

Minister Burke also mentioned that some members of the Iranian national team inquired if Australia could assist in helping their families in Iran to leave the country.

"Naturally, permanent residents have the right to sponsor their families. However, all of this is only meaningful if they can first escape from Iran," he explained.

He added that some individuals were excluded from the humanitarian visa program due to their association with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Furthermore, in response to some claims that the Australian government should have prevented the Iranian national team from departing, he countered, "Australia's goal was not to force specific decisions," and "We are not that kind of country."

In Gold Coast, Queensland, where the Iranian national team was staying, Iranians living in Australia surrounded the team bus and protested against the Iranian government, attempting to prevent the team from departing.

Members of the Iranian women's national football team, who decided to return home after seven members sought asylum in Australia, are seen arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia on the 11th (local time).

The remaining members of the Iranian national team, who decided to return home, departed from Sydney Airport last night and arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia. They are scheduled to return to Iran from here.

Previously, five players, including the captain of the Iranian national team, Zahra Ganbari, requested protection from the Australian government yesterday. Australia transported them to a safe location, and after meeting with Minister Burke, they were issued humanitarian visas.

With a humanitarian visa, individuals can stay in Australia for 12 months and apply for permanent residency.

The Iranian national team remained silent during the national anthem in their Women's Asian Cup match against South Korea on the 2nd, and were subsequently criticized as "traitors in exile" by Iranian state television.

In the two subsequent matches, the team performed the salute and sang the anthem.

Five members of the Iranian women's national football team who chose to seek asylum in Australia and Australian Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Tony Burke [AP=Yonhap News]

Regarding this, Mehdi Taj, the president of the Football Federation of Iran, stated on state television yesterday, "Unfortunately, according to the news we have received, after the match, Australian police directly intervened and took one or two players who were staying at the hotel."

Taj added, "Some people lay down in front of the team's vehicle heading to the airport, blocking the road, and completely sealed off the airport gate, urging all players to become 'refugees'."

He then referenced the incident at a girls' primary school in Minab, southern Iran, where a large number of casualties occurred after the US and Israel launched airstrikes, stating, "They martyred 160 of our girls in Minab, and in this incident, they are holding our girls hostage."

Taj also criticized US President Donald Trump, who urged Australia to grant asylum to the Iranian national team, saying, "The US President posted two tweets implying that they should become refugees and threatened to grant asylum in the US if Australia did not allow it."

He questioned, "How can we be optimistic about the World Cup to be held in the US? If the World Cup is like this, who among sane people would send their national team to such a place?"

Regarding the controversy over the players not singing the anthem, he emphasized, "Our players sang the anthem and performed the salute."

In this regard, the Prosecutor General's Office of Iran stated, as reported by state television, "Some honest players of the national team were influenced by emotional incitement stemming from the enemy's plot and malice and acted unintentionally, but we advise them to return to their homeland with peace and conviction."

Mohammad Reza Aref, the First Vice President of Iran, also stated, "Iran welcomes its citizens with open arms, and the government guarantees their safety," adding, "No one has the right to interfere in the family affairs of the Iranian people and act as a more caring nanny than a mother."

The Iranian women's national football team just before the start of the match against the Philippines on the 8th [AAP/AP=Yonhap News].