Urgent talks between FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Australian government are taking place over whether it is possible to extend the Iran women’s team’s stay in the country for their own safety.

Sources with knowledge of discussions, speaking anonymously owing to the sensitivity of the situation, have stated there are currently no flights for the team booked back to Iran, though they stressed this was a fast-moving and fluid situation.

The team had been due to leave the Gold Coast on Monday, having played their final women’s Asian Cup match against the Philippines on Sunday. They exited the competition, organised by Asian football’s governing body the AFC, at the group stages following three defeats.

Iran have been in Australia for the Asian Cup since before the latest escalation of the war in the Middle East, arriving immediately before Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in United States and Israeli military strikes on February 28.

The team did not sing the national anthem in their opening game against South Korea on March 2, in what appeared to be a protest against the Iranian regime. The men’s team did the same before their opening game of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Iran did not sing the national anthem before their first Asian Cup match (Albert Perez/Getty Images)

The women’s squad were subsequently labelled “wartime traitors” on state television, with presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi saying the team should be dealt with “severely”. They sang the anthem and performed a military salute in both their following games, losses to Australia and the Philippines.

“Let me just say one thing: traitors during wartime must be dealt with more severely,” Shahbazi said on state television in footage verified by The Athletic. “Anyone who takes a step against the country under war conditions must be dealt with more severely.

“Like this matter of our women’s football team not singing the national anthem, and that photo that was published and so on, which I won’t get into. These people must be dealt with more severely.”

Sources briefed on the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity, indicated fears over the players’ safety have led to discussions at a government level over the weekend, with FIFA and the AFC both contributing to the talks.

President of players’ union FIFPRO Asia/Oceania, Beau Busch, told the organisation’s general assembly on Monday that they had also been in contact with the Australian government to try and deliver “agency” to the Iranian players.

“It’s a really challenging situation,” he said. “There may be players who want to return. There may be some players within the group who would like to seek asylum, or would like to stay in Australia for longer. There may be some who are incredibly concerned about the potential journey home.

“Whether they’re able to stay here in Australia or if they do want to return, how do we do that safely? Then obviously ensuring that they’re incredibly safe when they get back to Iran. That’s going to be really difficult, but FIFA has a statutory obligation in relation to human rights to ensure that they exert that leverage, and we expect them to do so.”

FIFA and the Australian government have been contacted for comment.

Over the weekend, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong would not confirm discussions publicly, or whether the government has managed to make direct contact with the squad, but told broadcaster ABC: “We stand in solidarity with the men and women of Iran, and particularly Iranian women and girls.”