Five members of the Iranian women's national football team have left the team's hotel in Australia and are safe under police custody, according to CNN. They are participating in the Women's Asian Cup in Australia and are at the center of growing calls to block their departure from the country due to fears they will be persecuted in their homeland. Iran is at war with the United States and Israel under the command of a new hardline leader. All the controversy arose before their first match last Monday. The players remained silent during the Iranian national anthem, a gesture they did not explain, but was interpreted by some hardliners in Iran as a sign of treason. It was later reported that all were forced to sing the national anthem during their second match on Thursday, and on Sunday, before their 0-2 defeat to the Philippines. They sang the anthem again and gave a military salute. After their defeat in their last tournament match on Sunday, fans crowded around the team bus, shouting at the police, "Save our girls!" as it drove away. Hours earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump told the Australian prime minister to give them protection, otherwise his country would do so to prevent them from returning home.
