Four players from Iran's women's football team have withdrawn their asylum applications to the Australian government after coming under pressure from Tehran, two sources close to the team said.
Two players - Mona Hammoudi and Zahra Sarbali - and a staff member, Zahra Meshkekar, arrived in Malaysia on Saturday and will head to Tehran, Iranian state media reported, carrying a photo of the three together.
CNN reported that another woman had also withdrawn her application, with one source blaming pressure from Iran for the women's change of heart.
They were among seven players from Iran's women's national football team - six players and a member of the team's coaching staff - who have been team support - who were granted refugee visas to stay in Australia after competing in the Women's Asian Cup earlier this month.
The women were granted asylum after saying they feared persecution if they returned to their war-torn homeland following their refusal to sing Iran's national anthem during the opening match against South Korea. The move sparked a backlash from hardliners at home, including one state media presenter who called them "traitors in a time of war."
Another participant left Australia earlier this week, leaving just two of the original group.
"Once they had informed Australian authorities of their decision, the players were given multiple opportunities to speak about their options," Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement on Sunday.
"While the Australian government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, we cannot remove the context in which players make these incredibly difficult decisions," he added.
The Asian Cup began just after the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei. The Iranian team was eliminated from the tournament last Sunday.