“They will most certainly be killed”: Donald Trump asks Australia to give asylum to Iranian footballers

Donald Trump on Monday asked Australia to grant asylum to the players of the Iranian football team and not to send them back to Iran “where they will most certainly be killed”.

Australia “is making a terrible humanitarian mistake,” the American president wrote on his Truth Social network, adding to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: “The United States will welcome them if you don’t.” »

Monday morning, Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last shah of Iran, had already launched a cry of alarm to help the players, asking to “give them all the necessary support”. A call clearly heard since according to CNN Sports five members of the team have left their hotel and are “currently safe under the protection of the police”, indicates the American media.

The 26 members of the Iranian delegation arrived in the country a few days before the start of the American-Israeli strikes. The latter remained silent as the Iranian anthem sounded before their first match of the tournament. They then sang it during the following meetings. This attitude was interpreted as an act of rebellion and a state television presenter referred to the players as “wartime traitors” representing the “peak of dishonor”.