Seven Iranian football players have now been granted asylum in Australia. 

Five players from the women’s team, including captain Zahra Ghanbari, slipped away from the team hotel under the cover of darkness to claim sanctuary from Australian officials, the Australian Government announced. 

At least two more members of the team applied to stay later in the day, according to reports.  

Australia Correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking that those who wanted to return left the country last night, catching a flight to Sydney, then to Kuala Lumpur.  

Where they go from now, he says, is uncertain, as commercial flights obviously can’t enter Iranian airspace at the moment.  

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