Tony Burke blasted for posting photos of Iranian soccer players who briefly sought asylum

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has been criticised for posting photos on social media of members of an Iranian women’s soccer team who had sought asylum, several of whom later changed their minds.

Photos of the players and the Labor frontbencher were widely-shared after Mr Burke told the players they were “welcome to stay in Australia, to be safe” amid the Middle East war.

The team, who arrived in Australia for the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup shortly before the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February, had staged a silent protest as their national anthem played. That action prompted Iranian state media to label the women “wartime traitors”.

Five of the players had initially claimed asylum on Monday last week before a sixth and a staff member followed suit less than 24 hours later.

However, in the past week, five of the seven players and associates granted asylum by the Albanese government have since left Australia.

Members of the squad, who decided to return to their war-torn home flew out of their stopover in Malaysia on Monday evening, bound for Oman.

Mr Burke on Sunday claimed Australian officials had given the women “repeated chances” to talk about their options but acknowledged it was an “incredibly difficult decision”.

After all but two women withdrew their claims, Liberal Senator David Sharma on Tuesday publicly condemned Mr Burke’s handling of the situation.

“Was posting these pictures really a good idea? Several of the players, who initially claimed asylum, changed their mind, seemingly after regime pressure, channelled either directly or through their family in Iran,” Senator Sharma said.

“These pictures would not have helped.”

Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam has also warned the image shared by Mr Burke was “unwise”.

“I think the photos were unwise. I think the running commentary was unwise,” Senator Duniam told the ABC on Monday.

In the photo, Mr Burke is pictured standing shoulder-to-shoulder with five of the players who were initially offered asylum.

It came after the women broke away from their regime handlers and sought assistance from police.

In a secret operation, they were taken to a safe house, where Mr Burke met them and offered humanitarian visas amid fears they could be persecuted if they returned to Iran.

The initial gallery of photos, which are still posted on Mr Burke’s Instagram page, attracted more than 41,000 likes and more than 430 comments.

The two remaining footballers, Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh, have since been photographed training with Brisbane Roar women’s football club.

“Everything will be fine,” Ms Pasandideh posted on Instagram.

Members of Iran’s diaspora have alleged a regime associate was able to contact team members while in an Australian safe house.

In a video published Monday, the sports commentator Tracey Holmes claimed the team associate Zahra Soltan Meshkehkar had convinced Iranian players to withdraw their claims for asylum.

It was alleged the logistics manager of the national women’s team had, on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, infiltrated the safe house and played a role in convincing players to return home.

“She (Ms Meshkehkar) was taken into the safe house then its location was compromised because the Iran embassy in Canberra was given details as to its location. They were all then moved,” Ms Holmes post stated.

“She then withdrew her own asylum claim, along with three other players, who had allegedly been shown videos and audio recordings of their family members who’d been detained by the revolutionary guards.”

Iran’s ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi, left the Canberra embassy in August last year after he was expelled over revelations that the regime had directed two anti-Semitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne.

Minister Burke declined to comment.